The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is making significant advancements in space tourism, leveraging technologies from its Gaganyaan mission and the Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV).

ISRO has unveiled a reusable rocket and capsule designed for space tourism. This system aims to take passengers to an altitude of 100 kilometers, where they can experience zero gravity for about 3.5 minutes during an approximately 8.5-minute flight. This initiative aligns with ISRO's vision to expand India's commercial space sector, making space tourism more accessible and affordable.

The NGLV is under development as a three-stage, partially reusable heavy-lift launch vehicle. It is designed to support various missions, including launching satellites and facilitating human spaceflight. The NGLV will also play a crucial role in establishing India's first space station by 2035 and aims for a crewed lunar landing by 2040.

NGLV, a three-stage partially reusable heavy-lift launch vehicle, has been built with a modular architecture. Manufacturing will be a key area and a challenging one to penetrate if India wants to crack the reusable market. Large-sized tanks and structures will need to be lifted vertically and transported from one place to another. This is going to be an enormous challenge. Even when  the rocket lands on the platform at sea, the barge needs to be strong enough.

Vertical take-off and vertical landing (VTVL), which the ISRO is looking to incorporate into the Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV), will be envisioned and developed through a small-scale vehicle. This rocket will have a spinoff, along with the upcoming Gaganyaan Mission technology, and will be used for an Indian Space Tourism project, said S. Sivakumar, project director for NGLV at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), ISRO’s design and development centre.

All the newer technology for NGLV will be tested in a small-scale vehicle as a further pursuit of its frugal engineering policy, and all the learnings will be applied to the booster stage to achieve an economical advantage in development. Once the tests on the rocket are successful, the number of tests on the booster stage will be limited, thereby reducing costs.

Leveraging all the knowledge ISRO gains through the crew module of the Gaganyaan Mission, it can use this rocket for an Indian Space Tourism project. In line with international tourism initiatives such as Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, and SpaceX, this commercial project can be explored by Indian private industries.

ISRO plans to involve the private sector significantly in the development of the NGLV, allowing industries to participate from the design phase onwards. This collaboration is expected to enhance India's manufacturing capabilities in the space sector.

The NGLV will incorporate advanced technologies such as vertical take-off and landing (VTVL), which are essential for reducing launch costs and increasing efficiency in future missions.

The integration of Gaganyaan technologies with the NGLV is set to revolutionize India's approach to space tourism. With ISRO's commitment to developing a robust infrastructure and technology, India is poised to become a significant player in the global space tourism market, attracting both domestic and international tourists interested in experiencing space travel.

Agencies