The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will soon carry out another major test for its reusable launch vehicle (RLV) in which the vehicle will be flown to a height of 3 km by a helicopter and let free to land autonomously at an airstrip in Challakere in Chitradurga district.

This would be the second test for the vehicle after the first one in 2016 demonstrated that the RLV could land autonomously in the sea after being taken to an altitude of 65 km. Talking about the upcoming test, S Somanath, Director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, said the test will be carried out at the airstrip, owned by the Defence Research and Development Organization within 6 months.

“After this test, we will integrate the vehicle into a new rocket which will take it up into orbit for it to return,” he said. Somanath was speaking at the Aerospace and Defence Manufacturing Show (ADMS), organised by Aeromag Asia and Society of Indian Aerospace Technologies and Industries in the city.