PM Modi congratulates ISRO scientists for successful launch of space shuttle RLV-TD

Heaping praises on the scientists of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for successfully launching India's first indigenous space shuttle RLV-TD, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the launch was the result of the industrious efforts by them.

"Launch of India's first indigenous space shuttle RLV-TD is the result of the industrious efforts of our scientists. Congrats to them," Prime Minister Modi tweeted.

He further stated that the dynamism and dedication with which the scientists have worked over the years is exceptional and very inspiring.

India launched its maiden indigenous winged Reusable Launch Vehicle, RLV from Sriharikota spaceport in Andhra Pradesh today.

The RLV Technology Demonstration (RLV-TD), that is ultimately aimed at putting satellites into orbit around earth and then re-enter atmosphere, was carried up on a solid rocket motor.

The nine-metre long rocket weighs 11 tonnes. Very similar in its looks to the US space shuttle, the double delta-winged RLV-TD being experimented is a scale model which is almost 6 times smaller than the final version.

The 6.5 m long aeroplane like structure weighs 1.75 tonnes and was hoisted into the atmosphere on the special rocket booster.

After launching from the Sriharikota spaceport, it would be glided back onto a virtual runway in the Bay of Bengal.

The vehicle would re-enter the atmosphere after reaching a height of over 70 km.

The mission is known as the hypersonic flight experiment and is expected to last about 10 minutes.