ISRO ADMIRE consept

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is looking to develop a reusable satellite launch vehicle similar to the reusable Grasshopper booster rockets from the SpaceX Falcon 9 satellite launch vehicle, The Times of India reports.

The Vertical Takeoff and Vertical Landing (VTVL) reusable launch vehicle concept is called ADMIRE, and was revealed at a conference in Ahmedabad, India, by Dr. B.N. Suresh, founding director and Distinguished Professor at the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (ISST).

ISRO’s ADMIRE VTVL reusable test vehicle will feature supersonic retro propulsion and specially designed retractable landing legs that will also act as steerable grid fins to guide the launch vehicle to its landing pad. The ADMIRE VTVL test vehicle will also feature an integrated navigation system with a laser altimeter and NavIC GNSS receiver that utilises the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS).

“A test and landing site is being developed by ISRO for this purpose,” Dr. Suresh said in his ADMIRE VTVL test vehicle presentation at an Indian National Science Academy symposium held at the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) on 26 December 2018.