BENGALURU: India’s biggest rocket — parts of which will be reusable — critical to building the country’s own space station and eventually sending Indians to Moon, is not just on paper anymore.
After several months of initial planning and finalising of design and architecture, Isro has formalised a project team to start building the New Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV), which will also require a new launch pad at the spaceport in Sriharikota.
Isro chairman S Somanath confirmed to TOI in an exclusive interview that the NGLV project, internally named “SOORYA”, will be headed by (Project Director/PD) S Sivakumar, currently the programme director (space transportation systems) at VSSC and that the third launch pad at Sriharikota will be necessary as NGLV’s configuration will diff from the current class of rockets.
“We’ve drawn people from LVM-3, GSLV, PSLV and even SSLV teams. Sivakumar will lead the initial part of the project as he doesn’t have much time left with us, the next generation will take over from there,” Somanath said.
Sivakumar will have two associate project directors (APDs) in-charge of vehicle systems and mission, two deputy project directors (DPDs) looking into avionics and vehicle engineering and four project managers (PMs) for control systems, vehicle integration, propulsion, programme management-and-budget.
Aside from these there are PDs for various stages of the rocket, one for the third launch pad at Sriharikota — APDs and DPDs under these directors have also been identified. A source said: “The order only came in on March 8 and work will begin soon.”
Fuelling vision 2047
NGLV is in line with the country’s Space Vision 2047, which envisages challenging missions in near Earth orbit and beyond, including a space station by 2035, which will require a vehicle with higher payload capability, reusability, amenability for mass production and cost effectiveness.
While the existing rockets could be used for establishing the first unit of the proposed space station by 2028, Somanath had told TOI earlier: “…We are very clear that the first unit will be achievable by 2028 as it is possible to do that using our current launch vehicle. Subsequently, we’ll need a bigger launch vehicle (NGLV). We are hopeful of NGLV being ready by 2034-35. This is crucial to build the full station.”
NGLV rocket is envisioned as a three-stage launch vehicle powered by green fuel combinations like methane-liquid oxygen or kerosene-liquid oxygen. It could carry payloads of up to 10 tonnes to Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO) that is more than twice the capability India’s current heaviest rocket, the LVM-3, has.
Launch cost & global market
A crucial goal is making NGLV reusable, with recoverable components that can be reflown to reduce costs. In one of the early presentations on the rocket Somanath had made in 2022, he had said Isro aims for the reusable NGLV to have a low launch cost of around $1,900 per kg to Low Earth Orbit, compared to $3,000/kg for an expendable configuration.
Somanath had also said that the project will see close involvement of the Indian private sector to ensure the rocket is manufacturing and operations-friendly. While Isro will provide technical support, the industry is expected to eventually handle building, operations and launches.
With its low launch costs and green propellants, NGLV could give India a highly cost-competitive rocket for the global commercial launch market also.
After several months of initial planning and finalising of design and architecture, Isro has formalised a project team to start building the New Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV), which will also require a new launch pad at the spaceport in Sriharikota.
Isro chairman S Somanath confirmed to TOI in an exclusive interview that the NGLV project, internally named “SOORYA”, will be headed by (Project Director/PD) S Sivakumar, currently the programme director (space transportation systems) at VSSC and that the third launch pad at Sriharikota will be necessary as NGLV’s configuration will diff from the current class of rockets.
“We’ve drawn people from LVM-3, GSLV, PSLV and even SSLV teams. Sivakumar will lead the initial part of the project as he doesn’t have much time left with us, the next generation will take over from there,” Somanath said.
Sivakumar will have two associate project directors (APDs) in-charge of vehicle systems and mission, two deputy project directors (DPDs) looking into avionics and vehicle engineering and four project managers (PMs) for control systems, vehicle integration, propulsion, programme management-and-budget.
Aside from these there are PDs for various stages of the rocket, one for the third launch pad at Sriharikota — APDs and DPDs under these directors have also been identified. A source said: “The order only came in on March 8 and work will begin soon.”
Fuelling vision 2047
NGLV is in line with the country’s Space Vision 2047, which envisages challenging missions in near Earth orbit and beyond, including a space station by 2035, which will require a vehicle with higher payload capability, reusability, amenability for mass production and cost effectiveness.
While the existing rockets could be used for establishing the first unit of the proposed space station by 2028, Somanath had told TOI earlier: “…We are very clear that the first unit will be achievable by 2028 as it is possible to do that using our current launch vehicle. Subsequently, we’ll need a bigger launch vehicle (NGLV). We are hopeful of NGLV being ready by 2034-35. This is crucial to build the full station.”
NGLV rocket is envisioned as a three-stage launch vehicle powered by green fuel combinations like methane-liquid oxygen or kerosene-liquid oxygen. It could carry payloads of up to 10 tonnes to Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO) that is more than twice the capability India’s current heaviest rocket, the LVM-3, has.
Launch cost & global market
A crucial goal is making NGLV reusable, with recoverable components that can be reflown to reduce costs. In one of the early presentations on the rocket Somanath had made in 2022, he had said Isro aims for the reusable NGLV to have a low launch cost of around $1,900 per kg to Low Earth Orbit, compared to $3,000/kg for an expendable configuration.
Somanath had also said that the project will see close involvement of the Indian private sector to ensure the rocket is manufacturing and operations-friendly. While Isro will provide technical support, the industry is expected to eventually handle building, operations and launches.
With its low launch costs and green propellants, NGLV could give India a highly cost-competitive rocket for the global commercial launch market also.
