ISRO is likely to make some changes in the second mission after testing the first successful mission, after which this test can be conducted before March 16 this month.

LPSC-ISRO Director Dr V Narayanan has confirmed that the space agency is targeting a date no earlier than March 16 for its second Reusable Launch Vehicle Autonomous Landing (RLV-LEX) mission.

Recently he spoke at the National Seminar Space organized by Dr MGR-ACS Centre for Space Technology and Department of Engineering and Technology with the aim of empowering innovators and start-ups in the space industry.

Earlier, the first RLV-LEX mission launched in April 2023 was successful. The first mission, conducted at the Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) in Chitradurga, Karnataka, saw an RLV prototype being carried by an aircraft to an altitude of 4.5 km, after which the vehicle performed the high-speed return of an unmanned spacecraft from orbit. A successful autonomous landing was achieved while simulating the.

ISRO's RLV-LEX program is an important initiative that aims to revolutionize space. Conventional launch vehicles are typically used only once, which greatly increases the cost of space missions. But a reusable launch vehicle like an airplane could go a long way in reducing any space launch expenses.