Chitradurga, Karnataka - March 22nd: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) achieved a significant milestone today with the successful landing of its indigenously developed Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV), named "Pushpak." This marks a major step forward in making space exploration more economical and sustainable.

The landing, which took place at the Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) in Chitradurga, Karnataka, involved the RLVLEX-02 vehicle, a winged rocket roughly the size of an SUV. Nicknamed the "Indigenous Space Shuttle," Pushpak is designed for reusability, significantly reducing launch costs compared to traditional expendable rockets.

"This mission successfully simulated the approach and high-speed landing conditions of an RLV returning from space," ISRO said in a statement. "With this success, we have revalidated our technologies in navigation, control systems, landing gear, and deceleration systems, critical for autonomous landing of a spacefaring vehicle."

Released from an Air Force helicopter at an altitude of 4.5 kilometers, Pushpak demonstrated its ability to land precisely on the runway using a combination of a brake parachute, landing gear brakes, and a nose wheel steering system. The successful mission is a collaborative effort between Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (VSSC), Liquid Propulsion Systems Center (LPSC), and ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU).

ISRO Chairman S Somnath congratulated the team on their achievement, while Dr. S Unnikrishnan Nair, Director of VSSC, called it a crucial step towards future orbital re-entry missions. The Pushpak Viman Mission team was led by Sunil P, Program Director of the Advanced Technology and Systems Programme at VSSC.