Reusable Launch Vehicle
Full Form of RLV
What is RLV?
A Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) is a spacecraft designed to be launched multiple times, significantly reducing the cost of access to space. In India, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is actively developing the RLV technology through its RLV-TD (Technology Demonstrator) program. The RLV resembles a small spaceplane and is intended to be launched atop a rocket, separate in orbit, and then glide back to Earth for a runway landing, similar to the Space Shuttle but fully autonomous. This technology is crucial for making satellite launches more affordable and sustainable. ISRO has conducted several successful experimental flights, including the RLV-TD HEX (Hypersonic Flight Experiment) and the LEX (Landing Experiment), validating key technologies for reusability. The RLV is primarily used in the context of Indian space missions and is a focus area for future ISRO launch vehicles like the Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV). For students preparing for exams like GATE, ISRO recruitment, or UPSC, understanding RLV is important as it represents a cutting-edge development in Indian space technology. The eventual operational RLV is expected to complement existing rockets like PSLV and GSLV, enabling cost-effective and frequent access to space for commercial and scientific payloads.
RLV का फुल फॉर्म
पुन: प्रयोज्य प्रक्षेपण यान
Example
ISRO successfully conducted the landing experiment of its Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) at the Aeronautical Test Range in Chitradurga, Karnataka, demonstrating autonomous landing capability.