Function | Medium to Heavy-lift launch vehicle |
---|---|
Manufacturer | ISRO |
Country of origin | India |
Size | |
Height | 75 m (246 ft) |
Width | 5 m (16 ft) |
Mass | 600 t (590 long tons; 660 short tons) to 700 t (690 long tons; 770 short tons) |
Stages | 3 |
Capacity | |
Payload to LEO | |
Mass | 17,000 to 48,000 kg (37,000 to 106,000 lb) [1] |
Payload to GTO | |
Mass | 8,500 to 24,000 kg (18,700 to 52,900 lb) [1] |
Payload to TLI | |
Mass | 7,000 to 22,500 kg (15,400 to 49,600 lb) [1] |
Associated rockets | |
Comparable | |
Launch history | |
Status | Under Development |
Launch sites | Satish Dhawan Space Centre |
Total launches | 0 |
The Next Generation Launch Vehicle or NGLV (previously referred to as Unified Launch Vehicle or ULV) is a three-stage partially reusable rocket, currently under development by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). This vehicle is designed to replace currently operational systems like PSLV, GSLV and LVM3. [1] [2]
This family of three launchers was previously being designed for replacing the different core propulsion modules of PSLV, GSLV, and LVM3 respectively with a common semi-cryogenic engine and hence it was named as Unified Launch Vehicle (ULV). [3] Unlike the latest proposal of the launcher, the initial proposals were planned to be expendable. But the new proposals under the name of Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV) suggests launchers having partial reusability. [4]
According to ISRO Chairman S. Somanath, the new rocket has a load capacity of between 20 and 1,215 tonnes. [5]
The launch system has been in development since 2010s and has gone through various design changes with time. As ISRO's SLVs were ageing, the need for a new generation of launchers with interchangeable modular parts was realised. There have been several design changes since the first proposal.
More than a decade after starting the Cryogenic Upper Stage Project in 1994, [6] ISRO began developing a new semi-cryogenic engine that would be used on its next generation of vehicles of Unified Launch Vehicle (now NGLV), Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) and a heavy-lift launcher for future inter-planetary missions. On 22 December 2008, the government approved the development of semi-cryogenic engine technology at an estimated cost of ₹1,798 crore (US$225 million), with a foreign exchange component of ₹588 crore (US$74 million), for the completion of the project by 2014, the engine was then named SCE-200. [7]
In May 2013, the configurations of the launchers were revealed for the first time. They had a common core and upper stage, with four different booster sizes. [8] The core, known as the SC160 (Semi-Cryogenic stage with 160 tonnes of propellant, in the ISRO nomenclature), would have 160,000 kg (350,000 lb) of Kerosene / LOX propellant and be powered by a single SCE-200 engine. The upper stage, known as the C30 (Cryogenic stage with 30 tonnes of propellant) would have 30,000 kg (66,000 lb) of LH2 / LOX propellant and be powered by a single CE-20 engine. [9] [10]
The four booster options were:
A potential heavy-lift variant (HLV) of the ULV, in theory was capable of placing up to 10 ton class of spacecraft into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit. It was planned to include: [11]
A super-heavy-lift variant, was also among the proposals. With multiple SCE-200 engines and side boosters, this variant would have been the most powerful rocket that ISRO had ever developed. [10]
The development of the SCE-200 engine was completed in 2017 and the tests were contracted to a Ukrainian manufacturer Yuzhmash. In September 2021, in a virtual event being conducted by ISRO, the presentation mentioned a fleet configuration of a family of five rockets capable of lifting from 4.9 tonnes to 16 tonnes to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). The presentation mentioned the ongoing development of a new semi-cryogenic stage namely SC120 and an upgraded cryogenic stage namely C32. The configurations displayed more powerful engine stages; SC-400 semi-cryogenic stage, C27 cryogenic stage, and S-250 solid rocket boosters. [12]
In June 2023, ISRO revealed that the team working on the NGLV programme had already submitted a preliminary report on the rocket's details, manufacturing process, and approach toward development. The rocket is planned to be partially reusable along with its boosters. The development was expected to take another five to ten years. [13]
Following several months of preliminary planning and design and architectural refinement, ISRO has established a project team to begin construction of the NGLV. The third launch pad at Sriharikota will be required because the NGLV project, internally named "SOORYA," will differ from the current class of rockets in configuration. This was confirmed by ISRO chairman S. Somanath in an exclusive interview with The Times of India. Project Director S Sivakumar will oversee the NGLV project. He is currently the program director (space transportation systems) at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC). The development of NGLV will involve teams with backgrounds in LVM-3, GSLV, PSLV, and SSLV. [14]
NGLV will feature a simple, robust design that allows bulk manufacturing, modularity in systems, sub-systems, and stages, and minimal turnaround time. [15]
The NGLV might turn out to be a three-stage rocket powered by green fuel combinations, like Kerosene and liquid oxygen or methane and liquid oxygen for the SCE-200 engine, which follows oxidizer-rich closed combustion engine cycle. The first launch of the rocket is tentatively scheduled for 2030. [16] [17]
As per a presentation done by S. Somanath at a conference in October 2022, the NGLV might offer launch costs of approximately $1900 per kg of payload in the reusable form and nearly $3000 per kg in the expendable format. The vehicle will also help in meeting India's need of setting up its space station by 2035. Other potential use cases will be in the areas of launching communication satellites, deep space missions, future human spaceflight, and cargo missions. [16] [17]
The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) is an expendable medium-lift launch vehicle designed and operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It was developed to allow India to launch its Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites into Sun-synchronous orbits, a service that was, until the advent of the PSLV in 1993, only commercially available from Russia. PSLV can also launch small size satellites into Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO).
Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) is a class of expendable launch systems operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). GSLV has been used in fifteen launches since 2001.
The Indian Space Research Organisation is the national space agency of India. It operates as the primary research and development arm of the Department of Space (DoS), which is directly overseen by the Prime Minister of India while the Chairman of ISRO also acts as the executive of DoS. ISRO is primarily responsible for performing tasks related to space-based operations, space exploration, international space cooperation and the development of related technologies. ISRO is one of the six government space agencies in the world that possesses full launch capabilities, can deploy cryogenic engines, can launch extraterrestrial missions and operate a large fleet of artificial satellites. ISRO is one of the four government space agencies to have soft landing (uncrewed) capabilities.
The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) is a major space research centre of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), focusing on rocket and space vehicles for India's satellite programme. It is located in Trivandrum, in the Indian state of Kerala.
Satish Dhawan Space Centre – SDSC, is the primary spaceport of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), located in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
The Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC),Thiruvananthapuram is a research and development centre functioning under Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It has two units located at Valiamala, in Thiruvananthapuram of Kerala, and Bengaluru of Karnataka. LPSC is augmented by ISRO Propulsion Complex at Mahendragiri of Tamil Nadu.
The Launch Vehicle Mark-3 or LVM3 is a three-stage medium-lift launch vehicle developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Primarily designed to launch communication satellites into geostationary orbit, it is also due to launch crewed missions under the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme. LVM3 has a higher payload capacity than its predecessor, GSLV.
GSAT-4, also known as HealthSat, was an experimental communication and navigation satellite launched in April 2010 by the Indian Space Research Organisation on the maiden flight of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk.II rocket. It failed to reach orbit after the rocket's third stage malfunctioned. The third stage was the first Indian-built cryogenic-fuelled upper stage, and was making its first flight. The ISRO suspects that the failure was caused by the third stage not igniting.
Gaganyaan is an Indian crewed orbital spacecraft intended to be the formative spacecraft of the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme. The spacecraft is being designed to carry three people, and a planned upgraded version will be equipped with rendezvous and docking capabilities. In its maiden crewed mission, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)'s largely autonomous 5.3-metric ton capsule will orbit the Earth at 400 km altitude for up to seven days with a two- or three-person crew on board. The first crewed mission was originally planned to be launched on ISRO's LVM3 rocket in December 2021. As of October 2023, it is expected to be launched by 2025.
The Vikas is a family of hypergolic liquid fuelled rocket engines conceptualized and designed by the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre in the 1970s. The design was based on the licensed version of the Viking engine with the chemical pressurisation system. The early production Vikas engines used some imported French components which were later replaced by domestically produced equivalents. It is used in the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) and LVM3 for space launch use.
A cryogenic rocket engine is a rocket engine that uses a cryogenic fuel and oxidizer; that is, both its fuel and oxidizer are gases which have been liquefied and are stored at very low temperatures. These highly efficient engines were first flown on the US Atlas-Centaur and were one of the main factors of NASA's success in reaching the Moon by the Saturn V rocket.
The CE-20 is a cryogenic rocket engine developed by the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), a subsidiary of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It has been developed to power the upper stage of the LVM3. It is the first Indian cryogenic engine to feature a gas-generator cycle. The high thrust cryogenic engine is the most powerful upper stage cryogenic engine in operational service.
The CE-7.5 is a cryogenic rocket engine developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation to power the upper stage of its GSLV Mk-2 launch vehicle. The engine was developed as a part of the Cryogenic Upper Stage Project (CUSP). It replaced the KVD-1 (RD-56) Russian cryogenic engine that powered the upper stage of GSLV Mk-1.
The ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), located at Mahendragiri of Tamil Nadu, is an Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) centre involved in testing, assembling, and integrating propulsion systems and stages that are developed at ISRO's Liquid Propulsion Systems Centres. Formerly, IPRC was known as LPSC, Mahendragiri, functioning under LPSC. It was elevated as an independent centre and renamed as IPRC with effect from 1 February 2014.
The Crew Module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment (CARE) is an experimental test vehicle for the Indian Space Research Organisation's future ISRO orbital vehicle called Gaganyaan. It was launched successfully on 18 December 2014 from the Second Launch Pad of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, by a LVM3 designated by ISRO as the LVM 3X CARE mission. Total cost of mission was ₹155 crore. Cost of launch vehicle and CARE module was ₹140 crore and ₹15 crore.
The SCE-200 is a 2 MN thrust class liquid rocket engine, being developed to power ISRO's existing LVM3 and upcoming heavy and super heavy-lift launch vehicles. It is being developed by Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) of ISRO and is expected to have first flight in 2020s.
The Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) is a small-lift launch vehicle developed by ISRO with payload capacity to deliver 500 kg (1,100 lb) to low Earth orbit or 300 kg (660 lb) to Sun-synchronous orbit for launching small satellites, with the capability to support multiple orbital drop-offs. SSLV is made keeping low cost, low turnaround time in mind with launch-on-demand flexibility under minimal infrastructure requirements.
The S139 is a Solid Rocket Booster manufactured by the Indian Space Research Organization at the Satish Dhawan Space Center in the SPROB facility. The rocket motor was first developed for use in the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle. Later it was utilized in the GSLV MKII. It uses hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) as a propellant. It has a maximum thrust of 4800 kN.
The GSLV F12 is the 15th flight of the GSLV and the 9th flight of Mk2 variant using indigenous Cryogenic engine.