This is the third consecutive success in the LEX (03) technology series demonstrating "autonomous landing capability" and was carried out at 07:10 am at the Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) in Chitradurga, Karnataka.
But the RLV LEX-03 mission achieved success "under more challenging release conditions (500 m traversal range versus 150 m for LEX-02) and more severe wind conditions," ISRO said in a statement.
As part of the experiment, the winged vehicle, called "Pushpak", was launched from an Indian Air Force Chinook helicopter at an altitude of 4.5 km.
Armed with advanced autonomous capabilities, “Pushpak executed precise horizontal landing in challenging conditions,” ISRO said.
The space agency added that “from a launch point 4.5 km from the runway, Pushpak autonomously executed transverse correction maneuvers, approached the runway and performed a precise horizontal landing on the center line of the runway.”
"Due to the low lift-to-drag ratio aerodynamic configuration of this vehicle, the landing speed exceeded 320 kmph, compared to 260 kmph for a commercial airliner and 280 kmph for a typical fighter aircraft."
ISRO stated that after landing, brake parachutes were used to reduce the speed of the vehicle to nearly 100 kmph. The landing gear brakes were then used to decelerate and stop the vehicle on the runway.
The RLV-LEX mission, which uses a multi-sensor fusion that includes sensors such as an inertial sensor, a radar altimeter, an air data system, a pseudolite system and NavIC, “simulated the approach and landing interface and landing conditions at high speed for a vehicle returning from space.
ISRO noted that the winged body and flight systems were reused without any modification from the LEX-02 mission, demonstrating the strength of ISRO's design capability to reuse flight systems for multiple missions.
Furthermore, the success validates "the advanced guidance algorithm that addresses error corrections in the longitudinal and lateral planes."
ISRO now aims to “embark on RLV-ORV, the reusable orbital vehicle,” the agency said.
But the RLV LEX-03 mission achieved success "under more challenging release conditions (500 m traversal range versus 150 m for LEX-02) and more severe wind conditions," ISRO said in a statement.
As part of the experiment, the winged vehicle, called "Pushpak", was launched from an Indian Air Force Chinook helicopter at an altitude of 4.5 km.
Armed with advanced autonomous capabilities, “Pushpak executed precise horizontal landing in challenging conditions,” ISRO said.
The space agency added that “from a launch point 4.5 km from the runway, Pushpak autonomously executed transverse correction maneuvers, approached the runway and performed a precise horizontal landing on the center line of the runway.”
"Due to the low lift-to-drag ratio aerodynamic configuration of this vehicle, the landing speed exceeded 320 kmph, compared to 260 kmph for a commercial airliner and 280 kmph for a typical fighter aircraft."
ISRO stated that after landing, brake parachutes were used to reduce the speed of the vehicle to nearly 100 kmph. The landing gear brakes were then used to decelerate and stop the vehicle on the runway.
The RLV-LEX mission, which uses a multi-sensor fusion that includes sensors such as an inertial sensor, a radar altimeter, an air data system, a pseudolite system and NavIC, “simulated the approach and landing interface and landing conditions at high speed for a vehicle returning from space.
ISRO noted that the winged body and flight systems were reused without any modification from the LEX-02 mission, demonstrating the strength of ISRO's design capability to reuse flight systems for multiple missions.
Furthermore, the success validates "the advanced guidance algorithm that addresses error corrections in the longitudinal and lateral planes."
ISRO now aims to “embark on RLV-ORV, the reusable orbital vehicle,” the agency said.
