Blitz Bureau
MARKING a significant milestone in the country’s space exploration ambitions, the Union Cabinet has approved the development of Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV). This will give push to the Government’s vision of establishing and operating the Bharatiya Antariksh Station and towards developing capability for Indian crew landing on the Moon by 2040.
The NGLV will have three times the present payload capability with 1.5 times the cost compared to LVM3, and will also have reusability resulting in low-cost access to space and modular green propulsion systems.
“The goals of the Indian space programme during the Amrit Kaal require a new generation of human rated launch vehicles with high payload capability and reusability. Hence, the development of the Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV) is taken up which is designed to have a maximum payload capability of 30 tonnes to Low Earth Orbit, which also has a reusable first stage,” said a ministry press release. Expanding the Chandrayaan series, the Cabinet also approved the fourth mission to the Moon.
The Cabinet approved Chandrayaan-4 to develop and demonstrate technologies to help astronauts return to Earth after successfully landing on the Moon.The mission also aims to collect Moon samples, bring them back safely and analyse them on earth. “Chandrayaan-4 mission will achieve the foundational technologies capabilities eventually for an Indian landing on the Moon (planned by year 2040) and return safely back to Earth,” according to a Cabinet Communique.
