Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV)

A reusable launch vehicle is built to recover and reuse major vehicle components (such as a stage or a winged re-entry body). ISRO’s approach has progressed through step-by-step technology demonstrations, including hypersonic re-entry and autonomous runway landing, as building blocks towards a fully reusable system.

Reusable versus Traditional Rockets

• Traditional rockets discard most stages after launch, requiring new hardware for each mission.
• Reusable systems recover vehicles or stages for inspection, refurbishment, and repeated flights, improving launch economy and frequency.
  • India’s RLV pathway uses a winged, aircraft-like demonstrator as a flying test-bed to validate reusable launch technologies.

About the Technology

Architecture ....