The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced on June 23 that it has successfully completed its third consecutive Reusable Launch Vehicle Landing Experiment (RLV LEX), demonstrating the autonomous landing capabilities of the launch vehicle under challenging conditions.
According to ISRO’s statement on Twitter, the vehicle named ‘Pushpak’ executed a precise horizontal landing, showcasing advanced autonomous capabilities in adverse conditions. With the objectives of RLV LEX achieved, ISRO now progresses to RLV-ORV, the orbital reusable vehicle.
This mission simulated the approach and landing conditions for a high-speed vehicle returning from space, reinforcing ISRO’s prowess in acquiring critical technologies necessary for Reusable Launch Vehicle development.
In a press release, ISRO highlighted that RLV LEX-03 re-demonstrated the autonomous landing capabilities under more demanding release and severe wind conditions. ‘Pushpak’, a winged vehicle, was released from an Indian Air Force Chinook Helicopter at 4.5 km altitude from a release point 4.5 km away from the runway. It autonomously performed cross-range correction maneuvers, approached the runway, and executed a precise horizontal landing at the centerline.
The mission validated advanced guidance algorithms crucial for future Orbital Re-entry Missions, addressing longitudinal and lateral plane error corrections.
