TECHNOLOGY// The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) successfully testlaunched the first “Made in India” space shuttle called the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV-TD) early on May 23 morning from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. Although the final version of RLV-TD, which is a scaleddown model of the reusable launch vehicle, is expected to take shape in 10 to 15 years, it was for the first time ISRO launched a winged flight vehicle, which after its launch, returned and landed on a virtual runway in the Bay of Bengal, some 500 km from the coast.

The government had invested Rs 95 crore in this 6.5 metre-long aeroplane-like structure weighing 1.75 tonnes, which was sent into the atmosphere on a special rocket booster. India hopes to bring down the cost of access to space if these reusable rockets become a reality. After NASA abandoned its reusable space shuttle project in 2011, this launch is considered a significant step in India's space endeavour.