The Indian Space Research Organisation is setting its sights again on the Moon after a successful Chandrayaan-3 mission last year, but now it plans to send humans to the natural satellite, Report informs referring to NDTV.
Speaking to NDTV, ISRO chief S Somanath talked about the future missions and the Next-Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV) India is building to take humans to the Moon. "We are building a new rocket called NGLV or 'Soorya'. It is currently under design and will have a new engine based on LOx (Liquid Oxygen) and Methane. It will have liquid oxygen and methane engines for the lower stages, the upper stages will have a cryogenic engine."
He added that 'Soorya', India's mega-rocket, will be much bigger than the present ones. The Low Earth Orbit (LEO) payload capacity will be over 40 tonnes, this is very much required for human spaceflight missions. It is the Soorya rocket that will send India's Gaganyatri to the lunar surface, hopefully by 2040.
When asked about the Pushpak, the un-crewed, autonomous winged reusable launch, Somanath said, "The first phase of Pushpak's scaled-down version is over, with three successful safe landings, we are in the process of building a bigger version, which would be 1.6 times the scaled-down model. It will be tested on similar lines with landing first and it will be launched through a rocket to orbit. The focus has shifted there now."
Somanath added that it will be launched on a three-stage to the orbit. The ISRO chief also explained the value of the Pushpak vehicle and said, "It can take the payloads up and bring them back. The payload is more valuable than the rocket itself and because of that it is cost-effective. Deploying a satellite using Pushpak is not cost-effective, then you can use SSLV, PSLV, LMV-3 or GSLV. Using the reusable launch vehicle the endeavour would be to send a payload conduct experiments in orbit and bring it back then it has a lot of value."