The Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV), internally named Soorya, is ISRO's ambitious medium-to-super heavy-lift launch vehicle currently under development.

Designed to support India's growing space exploration and commercial launch needs, the NGLV incorporates cutting-edge features such as a three-stage configuration with nine engines in the first stage and two in the second stage, utilising LOX/CH4 propellants. A key highlight is the recoverability of its first stage, enabling cost-effective and sustainable operations.

The vehicle will have two variants tailored for different missions—one for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and another for Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). Its payload capacities include 23.4 tons (expendable) or 14.8 tons (recoverable) to LEO, and 9.6 tons (expendable) or 5.5 tons (recoverable) to GTO.

ISRO's Next Generation Launch Vehicle represents a significant leap in India's launch capabilities. Standing at approximately 90 meters tall with a maximum lift-off mass of around 1,000 tons, the NGLV will substantially increase India's heavy-lift capacity.

As outlined by Minister Jitendra Singh, the NGLV's first stage will be configured with a cluster of nine engines, and hot testing of this stage is planned at the Launch Pad itself, eliminating the need for establishing a separate large facility for stage testing.

The NGLV will employ an innovative propulsion system based on Liquid Methane, which represents a departure from traditional propellants used in India's launch vehicles. This next-generation vehicle is essential not only for building India's planned space station but also for launching heavy satellites and supporting future Chandrayaan missions.

The NGLV addresses a critical capability gap in India's space program. Even India's most powerful current booster, the GSLV-LVM 3, has a lift capacity of only 10 tons to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and 4 tons to Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO), which is significantly less than comparable international heavy-lift vehicles like SpaceX's Falcon Heavy or China's Long March-5.

In addition to its technical specifications, the NGLV is crucial for future missions, including establishing the Bharatiya Antariksh Station and supporting crewed lunar landings by 2040. The vehicle's design emphasizes modularity and green propulsion systems, aligning with ISRO's vision for sustainable space exploration. As ISRO moves forward with the NGLV, it is expected to significantly boost India's space ecosystem by enabling more efficient and cost-effective access to space.

The government's approval of the NGLV program in September 2024 marked a welcome departure from earlier space planning that did not prioritize super heavy lift launchers. This mega booster, once operational, will substantially enhance India's independent access to space for both crewed and uncrewed missions.

Private Sector Contributions To Indian Space Industry

Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram-1 Development

It's worth noting that Skyroot Aerospace has also been making significant progress with other components of this launch vehicle. In March 2024, Skyroot successfully test-fired the Stage-2 of Vikram-1, called Kalam-250, at ISRO's propulsion testbed at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.

The test of the Kalam-250, which lasted 85 seconds, recorded a peak sea-level thrust of 186 kilonewtons (kN), expected to translate to approximately 235 kN of vacuum thrust during actual flight. The Kalam-250 is constructed from high-strength carbon composite and uses solid fuel with a high-performance Ethylene-Propylene-Diene terpolymers (EPDM) thermal protection system.

According to Pawan Chandana, Co-Founder and CEO of Skyroot, this test represented "a significant milestone for the Indian space industry, marking the successful test of the largest propulsion system ever designed and manufactured by the Indian private sector so far, and the first carboncomposite-built motor tested at ISRO." The Vikram-1 launch is positioned to be a landmark event for India's space sector as its first private orbital rocket launch, following Skyroot's successful suborbital launch of Vikram-S in November 2022.

Conclusion

With the NGLV program addressing critical capability gaps supporting more ambitious missions, India is positioning itself to expand its space activities substantially in the coming decades. The emphasis on developing advanced propulsion systems, test facilities, and launch infrastructure demonstrates a comprehensive approach to strengthening all aspects of the space value chain.