The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has unveiled its most ambitious and powerful launch vehicle project to date—the Lunar Module Launch Vehicle (LMLV).

Designed to carry extremely heavy payloads, the LMLV marks a significant step in India’s evolving space capability, especially in the context of its long-term lunar exploration roadmap and the proposed human mission to the Moon by 2040.

The vehicle is currently under development with a tentative operational readiness target of 2035, making it the heaviest and most advanced rocket in India’s portfolio.

Scale And Capability

Standing as tall as a 40-storey building, the LMLV will dwarf ISRO’s current workhorse, the LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark-3), which until now has been the agency’s most powerful rocket. LVM3 successfully carried Chandrayaan-3, enabling India’s soft landing on the Moon in 2023, and has since been human-rated for use in the Gaganyaan program, which will send Indian astronauts into low Earth orbit.

While the LVM3 has carried payloads up to 5.8 tons to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and can be enhanced to carry about 10 tons, the new LMLV represents a giant leap forward by comparison.

The rocket will be capable of lifting an impressive 80 tons to LEO—over 13 times more than LVM3. More significantly for India’s deep space ambitions, the LMLV will be able to deliver approximately 27–30 tons of payload to lunar orbit, giving it the ability to support sustained lunar bases, lunar stations, and human-rated deep-space craft.

To place this in context, spacecraft like SpaceX’s Crew Dragon used for destinations like the International Space Station (ISS) weigh only 6–8 tons, while future human-rated lunar spacecraft are estimated to weigh 18–20 tons. This means the LMLV has the potential to carry at least one fully equipped lunar crew module plus auxiliary systems in a single launch.

Design And Engineering

The LMLV is being designed as a three-stage heavy-lift rocket with advanced propulsion technologies. The first two stages will rely on liquid propellants, while the third stage will employ cryogenic propulsion, ensuring optimal performance for long-range missions like lunar insertion. One of the most striking engineering highlights is the scale of its boosters—the strap-on motors of LMLV are taller than the entire LVM3 rocket itself.

The first stage core, supported by two massive strap-on boosters, will incorporate 27 liquid engines arranged in three clusters of nine. This engine-rich design not only enhances raw thrust but also introduces higher stability and redundancy, a necessary condition for human-rated missions to the Moon. The rocket is envisioned to be highly modular: when used without the strap-on boosters, the LMLV functions as a near-equivalent of the previously conceptualised Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV), which has now been discontinued.

Strategic Shifts: LMLV Vs NGLV

Initially, ISRO had been developing the NGLV (Next Generation Launch Vehicle), intended as a primary heavy-lift vehicle for tasks including the construction of the Bharat Antariksh Station (BAS)—India’s planned modular space station by 2035.

However, ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan confirmed that work on the NGLV has been dropped. Instead, ISRO will modify the LVM3 with a liquid oxygen–kerosene engine upgrade, which will allow it to lift payloads of 10 tons to a 400 km orbit, sufficient for the deployment of BAS modules. The LMLV, therefore, will serve a more specialised purpose: supporting India’s lunar and planetary missions requiring ultra-heavy payload capabilities.
Thus, the division of roles has become clear:

LVM3 (Enhanced Variant) → To deploy space station modules into Earth orbit.
LMLV → To support lunar human missions, exploration platforms, and long-duration lunar settlement frameworks.

Implications For Lunar Exploration And Human Spaceflight

The sheer payload capacity of the LMLV positions India among the global leaders in heavy-lift capability, closer to vehicles such as SpaceX’s Starship and NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System). Given that human lunar spacecraft are expected to weigh 18–20 tons, and longer lunar journeys will require additional consumables, life-support systems, and energy reserves, India’s decision to build a rocket that can deliver nearly 30 tons to lunar orbit reflects an ambitious long-term commitment to lunar presence.

The LMLV’s debut could be a game-changer for crewed lunar landings, transport of large lunar habitats, and even cargo delivery for possible resource utilisation on the Moon. This also aligns with India’s stated goal of sending its first crewed lunar mission by 2040, for which the LMLV will likely be the prime launch vehicle.

At present, a scaled model of the LMLV has been showcased publicly at the Bharat Mandapam, underscoring ISRO’s intent to popularise its vision as part of the National Space Day celebrations. Notably, Narayanan emphasised that the design and conceptualisation were achieved within just a few months through round-the-clock efforts by ISRO scientists—indicating a high level of prioritisation by the agency.

By the early 2030s, the LMLV will undergo its critical design and test phases. Its successful induction would not only empower ISRO to execute crewed Moon landings but also support collaborations in global lunar programs such as the Artemis Accords, positioning India as a vital contributor to the international lunar economy and space governance framework.

Summary

LMLV (Ready by ~2035): ISRO’s heaviest rocket ever, carrying 80 tons to LEO, 27–30 tons to lunar orbit.

Purpose: Long-term lunar exploration & human Moon missions (first expected by 2040).

Difference From NGLV: NGLV project scrapped; LMLV takes over lunar roles, while enhanced LVM3 serves BAS (space station).

Design: Three-stage rocket, 27 engines in first stage, massive strap-on boosters taller than LVM3.

Significance: Will allow India to transport entire human-rated lunar modules, habitats, and cargo in a single launch—joining the select club of ultra-heavy lift nations.

Agencies