India’s biggest Rocket which is emerging as the key to building space station & eventually sending Indians to Moon, is not just on paper anymore. New Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV) is taking off at ISRO

After several months of initial planning and finalising of design and architecture, ISRO has formalised a project team to start building NGLV, which will also require a new launch pad at the spaceport in Sriharikota. ISRO chairman S Somanath confirmed in an exclusive interview that the NGLV project, internally named “SOORYA”, will have S Sivakumar, currently the program director (space transportation systems) at VSSC as the Project Director (PD). “We’ve drawn people from LVM-3, GSLV, PSLV & SSLV teams. Sivakumar will lead the initial part of the project as he doesn’t have much time left with us, the next generation will take over from there,” Somanath said.

Sivakumar will have 2 Associate Project Directors (APD) in-charge of vehicle systems & mission, 2 deputy project directors (DPD) for avionics & vehicle engineering and four project managers for control systems, vehicle integration, propulsion and program management & budget.

Aside from these there are Project Directors for various stages of the rocket, one for the third launch pad at Sriharikota — APDs and DPDs under these directors have also been identified. A source said: “The order only came in on March 8 and work will begin soon.” NGLV is in line with the Space Vision 2047, which envisages challenging missions in near Earth orbit & beyond, including a space station by 2035, which will require a vehicle with higher payload capability, reusability, amenability for mass production and cost effectiveness. While the existing rockets could be used for establishing the first unit of the proposed space station by 2028, Somanath had told me earlier: 

Somanath clarified that the first unit will be achievable by 2028 as it is possible to achieve using ISRO's current launch vehicle.

"Subsequently, we’ll need a bigger launch vehicle (NGLV). We are hopeful of NGLV being ready by 2034-35. This is crucial to build the full station.” Somanath further added. NGLV is envisioned as a three-stage launch vehicle powered by green fuel combinations like methane-liquid oxygen or kerosene-liquid oxygen. It could carry payloads of up to 10 ton to GTO — that's more than twice the capability India's current heaviest rocket LVM-3, can carry.

A crucial goal is making NGLV reusable, with recoverable components that can be re-flown to reduce costs. In one of the early presentations on the rocket Somanath had made in 2022, he had said ISRO aims for the reusable NGLV to have a low launch cost of around $1,900 per kg to LEO, compared to $3,000/kg for an expendable configuration. Somanath had also said that the project will see close involvement of the Indian private sector to ensure the rocket is manufacturing and operations-friendly. While ISRO will provide technical support, industry is expected to eventually handle building, operations and launches. With its low launch costs and green propellants, NGLV could give India a highly cost-competitive rocket for the global commercial launch market also.