ISRO's reusable rocket mission boosts indigenous tech

Bengaluru, April 4 As India moved a step ahead in getting its own reusable launch vehicle or reusable rocket with the country's space agency successfully completing the Reusable Launch Vehicle Autonomous Landing Mission (RLV LEX), the entire country rejoiced at this unique milestone with several firsts.

Barely 320 km away in Salem, Tamil Nadu, the joy of 'SonaSPEED' team knew no bounds that its 25kW quadruplex 'Brushless DC' motor was used in the helicopter hoist for lifting RLV LEX to 4.5 km altitude and releasing for autonomous landing at the Aeronautical Test Range (ATR), Chitradurga, Karnataka in the early hours on April 2.

"The team at Sona College of Technology's electrical and electronics engineering department recommits to developing and delivering indigenous technology products for mission critical applications," Professor N Kannan, Head, SonaSPEED, Sona College of Technology, told on Tuesday.

In a first in the world, a winged body has been carried to an altitude of 4.5 km by a helicopter and released for carrying out an autonomous landing on a runway.

SonaSPEED motors have been part of many key missions of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

"Successful deployment of SonaSPEED brushless DC motors in ISRO's indigenous landing gear marks the arrival of 'Make in India' mission," said Chocko Valliappa, Founder and CEO, Technology and IT firm, Vee Technologies.