Major Shaitan Singh
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Scale model of RLV-TD and SRE at Aero India 2009
Introduction
ISRO is developing fully Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) technology fortwo stage to orbit (TSTO) capability.
The first stage will be powered by a semi cryogenic winged booster capable of flying back and landing on a runway near the launch site like a conventional aircraft after burnout.
The second stage will be cryogenic. It will deliver the satellite into orbit, de-orbit and re-enter the atmosphere and parachute down to a soft landing on balloons.
The RLV has been conceived by ISRO as a space launch system that will significantly cut down launch cost from the present level of around $5,000 / kg to around $500 / kg.
RLV-TD
Phased Development
Reusable Launch Vehicle technology will be developed in phases through a series of trial flights.
The first in the series of trials is the hypersonic flight experiment (HEX) followed by the landing experiment (LEX), return flight experiment (REX) and scramjet propulsion experiment (SPEX).
Hypersonic Flight Experiment (HEX)
Flight testing will start with RLV-TD (HEX). During the mission, a booster rocket will take the RLV to a specific altitude and release it. The booster rocket will fall back into the sea. The lofted RLV will re-enter the atmosphere independently and be guided for a controlled landing in the sea.
In the first trial-flight, the RLV will not be recovered from sea because it will not be cost-effective to do so. ISRO will instead use telemetry data data on the re-entry, deceleration and return.
Landing Experiment (LEX)
In the second phase RLV will be tested without its scramjet engine. After burnout, the booster will separate and fall away, and the RLV-TD will go on to make an unpowered ascent.
The RLV-TD will then re-enter the atmosphere at hypersonic speed and use aerodynamic breaking to decelerate. It will perform a range maneuver at 15-km, a 2g turn towards its launch site. Once the TD reaches 0.8 M, it will light up a turbofan engine to cruise back to its launch site at 0.6M and make a horizontal landing on a runway
Return Flight Experiment (REX)
In this phase, the RLV-TD will be launched to orbit and then de-orbited for a landing on a runway.
Scramjet Propulsion Experiment (SPEX)
Eventually, the RLV will be powered by an air breathing scram jet which is being developed under a separate project called Air Breathing Propulsion Project (ABPP).
Air Breathing Propulsion Project (ABPP).
As a first step towards developing TSTO capability based on RLVs, ISRO will flight test a Reusable Launch Vehicle - Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) that will serve as a flying test bed to evaluate various technologies viz., hypersonic flight, autonomous landing, powered cruise flight and hypersonic flight using air breathing propulsion.
ISRO displayed a scale model of the RLV-TD at Aero India 2009.
The RLV-TD will possess wings and tail fins, and will be launched atop a 9 ton solid booster called S-9, similar to the ones on the PSLV.
RLV-TD is reported to be 9m long, with its wing span also measuring 9m. The RLV-TD + S9 stack will together weigh 12-ton.
Following liftoff, the S-9 booster will climb to 100-km and accelerate to Mach 5 with the RLV-TD during a 5-min flight. RLV-TD will then separate and glide down using its fin and wing controls.
Within 20-min of liftoff, RLV-TD will land in the Bay of Bengal, close to the shore. [viaEconomic Times]
Initially, ISRO will not attempt to recover the RLV-TD. Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre deputy director S Somanath told the press in January 2015 that a water landing is planned because India doesn't have a long enough runway. "We need at least a 5km runway. The longest of runways in the country is only 2km."
He added, "We have enough land at Sriharikota for a runway, but this has to be sanctioned and funded for development."
The next experiment would be to land the vehicle on a 2km runway after releasing it from an aircraft from a height of about 5km. The third step would be to take it to a higher altitude and try the ground landing. "As the next step, we would try an air-breathing engine which is under development at Isro," Somanath said.
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Design Approval
On January 5, 2012, DNA reported that the National Review Committee has approved the design of the RLV-TD.
An Isro official said design-related issues have been addressed and presented to the National Review Committee and clearance obtained to go ahead to build the RLV-TD.
Wind Tunnel Tests
ISRO has a hypersonic wind tunnel facility at VSSC, Trivandrum installed by Hind High Vacuum (HHV) Bangalore. The system comprises three Horton Spheres, each 16.3m dia. and 2200 cu m capacity. The system has two parallel pumping trains, each with two mechanical booster pumps with pumping speed of 30,000 cu m / hr backed successively by a 14,000 cu m / hr and 7,000 cu m / hr booster pump and finally by three rotary piston pumps, each with a pumping speed of 1325 cu m / hr.
Development Progress
The TOI reported on May 15, 2015 that launch will take place in the second half of they year as ISRO is currently preoccupied with commercial launches.
ISRO has already transported and positioned boosters for the RLV launch expected in second half of this year. It will begin assembling the vehicle in 8-10 weeks.
On February 27, 2015 ISRO’s new chief A S Kiran Kumar told Express that the RLV-TD HEX-01 "test-flight will take place either by the end of the first half of this year or the beginning of the second half. Work is progressing satisfactorily,”
The DNA reported on January 5, 2014 that ISRO was gearing up for the HEX-01 mission in March.
The Economic Times on January 7, 2015 quoted Vikram Sarabhai Space Center deputy director S Somanath as saying Isro has completed ground tests on the vehicle and is in the final phase of conducting a hypersonic test flight and landing in water.
Somanath, is also the project director for GSLV Mk-3.
ISRO Annual Report 2014 states
Major highlights of RLV-TD during the year include completion of major actions identified by the National Review Committee during the Integrated Technical Review (ITR) of hypersonic experimental flight (RLV-TD HEX-01). Mission analyses on the design of trajectory, autopilot and guidance have been completed.
The Avionics Bay powering for the Avionics packages in the Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (TDV) was carried out through Checkout System and On-Board Checkout Computer (OBCC). The second phase of the full scale Flush Air Data System (FADS) model was successfully tested and validated at the Wind Tunnel Facility, IIT, Kanpur with modified algorithms and recalibrated sensors. Radar Altimeter along with antenna was also validated through a Balloon test at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Hyderabad and the capability of the system has been demonstrated.
Trial assembly of Thermal Protection System for qualifying the bonding procedure and trial assembly of Booster with Interstage and TDV have been completed. The realization of the flight hardware and its assembly and integration is in progress. The launch of RLV-TD HEX-01 mission is planned in 2014.
In an interview carried by The Asian Age on January 13, 2014, ISRO Chairman K Radhakrishnan was asked - Will the GSLV help Isro design and develop reusable launch vehicles like the space shuttle?
He replied, "A technology demonstrator program has been initiated at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram. A winged body will be taken to a certain altitude and then launched. At the moment, we are not sure whether a reusable launch vehicle is the best option. But we will go ahead with test launch of the technology demonstrator, and gain the experience of dealing with such vehicles.
According to ISRO's annual report for 2012
ISRO has completed development of the Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (TDV) structural model and built the fuselage and inter stage assemblies for structural testing.
It has developed the Flush Air Data System (FADS) module and validated integration procedure, FADS algorithm, avionics and leak tightness for pressure pick up assembly through 1:1 FADS wind tunnel test at IIT, Kanpur.
Qualification model of Radar Altimeter was developed and balloon tested at TIFR, Hyderabad. Carbon-carbon (C/C) laminates for nose cap were developed using a new process.
Functional qualification test of Launch Hold and Release System (LHRS) with dual pyro initiation was carried out using simulated interfaces.
The testing of HS9 booster stage separation system along with hydraulic line separation system was completed successfully. High altitude test of the 2 kN retro rocket developed for jettisoning spent HS9 motor was successfully conducted at SDSC SHAR.
The Integrated Technical Review(ITR) of RLV-TDby the National Review Committee in October 2012 has concluded that launch of RLV-TD HEX-01 mission in September 2013 is feasible
Deccan Herald reported that autopilot for the RLV-TD has been modified following simulation tests.
The navigation and guidance control (NGC) design has been validated and liftoff studies have been completed using simulation.
“Guidance and Autopilot designs were modified based on simulation results,” a source said.
ISRO has earlier announced that it will test the RLV-TD in 2013-14.
told the press in January 2015.
RLV-TD As a first step towards developing TSTO capability based on RLVs, ISRO will flight test a Reusable Launch Vehicle - Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) that will serve as a flying test bed to evaluate various technologies viz., hypersonic flight, autonomous landing, powered cruise flight and hypersonic flight using air breathing propulsion.
ISRO displayed a scale model of the RLV-TD at Aero India 2009.
The RLV-TD will possess wings and tail fins, and will be launched atop a 9 ton solid booster called S-9, similar to the ones on the PSLV.
RLV-TD is reported to be 9m long, with its wing span also measuring 9m.
Design Approval
On January 5, 2012, DNA reported that the National Review Committee had approved the design of the RLV-TD.
An Isro official said design-related issues have been addressed and presented to the National Review Committee and clearance obtained to go ahead to build the RLV-TD.
Wind Tunnel Tests
ISRO has a hypersonic wind tunnel facility at VSSC, Trivandrum installed by Hind High Vacuum (HHV) Bangalore. The system comprises three Horton Spheres, each 16.3m dia. and 2200 cu m capacity. The system has two parallel pumping trains, each with two mechanical booster pumps with pumping speed of 30,000 cu m / hr backed successively by a 14,000 cu m / hr and 7,000 cu m / hr booster pump and finally by three rotary piston pumps, each with a pumping speed of 1325 cu m / hr.
As in January 2012, the facility was in the process of being commissioned.
Phased Development
Reusable Launch Vehicle technology will be developed in phases through a series of trial flights.
The first in the series of trials is the hypersonic flight experiment (HEX) followed by the landing experiment (LEX), return flight experiment (REX) and scramjet propulsion experiment (SPEX).
Hypersonic Flight Experiment (HEX)
Flight testing will start with RLV-TD (HEX). During the mission, a booster rocket will take the RLV to a specific altitude and release it. The booster rocket will fall back into the sea. The lofted RLV will re-enter the atmosphere independently and be guided for a controlled landing in the sea.
In the first trial-flight, the RLV will not be recovered from sea because it will not be cost-effective to do so. ISRO will instead use telemetry data data on the re-entry, deceleration and return.
Landing Experiment (LEX)
In the second phase RLV will be tested without its scramjet engine. After burnout, the booster will separate and fall away, and the RLV-TD will go on to make an unpowered ascent.
The RLV-TD will then re-enter the atmosphere at hypersonic speed and use aerodynamic breaking to decelerate. It will be brought to a gliding, unpowered cruise speed of about 0.8 mach, and slowed down further to make a horizontal landing.
Return Flight Experiment (REX)
In this phase, the RLV-TD will be launched to orbit and then de-orbited for a landing on a runway.
Scramjet Propulsion Experiment (SPEX)
Eventually, the RLV will be powered by an air breathing scram jet which is being developed under a separate project called Advanced Technology Vehicle (ATV).
Target Completion Date
When initially announced, it was hoped that RLV technology will mature by 2015, by which time the solid rocket booster capable of being recovered and reused would have been developed, as also the scramjet engine to power the RLV.
In June 2011, ISRO Chairman Dr. Radhakrishnan indicated that the program is behind schedule.
First flight of RLV, initially planned for 2010-2011 will now take place in 2012-2013.
We have to understand a gamut of technologies and also prove many new systems. We have to study the aerodynamics of a winged body, the auto pilot, the aero-thermo dynamics, thermal protection system, the de-boost operations for re-entry, navigation and guidance to land precisely on the ground. Of course, some of the lessons learnt from the space shuttle will be incorporated in this vehicle; Dr. Radhakrishnan said.
If you are alluding to the RLV-TD design then thats not the RL vehicle. RLV-TD is a low cost concept that aims to demonstrate technologies required for the first stage of the RLV. The solid booster has nothing to do with the RLV, but to achieve a particular mission profile for second stage of the RLV-TD that looks like shuttle. The shuttle on top of the solid booster is actually a scaled down version of the first stage of the RLV and will be used to establish corresponding technologies. Second stage of the RLV will be derived from technologies established through Space capsule recovery experiments.
The RLV
The Technologies
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