Article Posted on : - Aug 26, 2010

Dr A Sivathanu Pillai, CEO and MD BrahMos Aerospace, speaking at a seminar at BSX 2010. A Brahmand photo

BANGALORE (BNS): Space is an enterprise because of the huge business opportunity it provides, said Dr A Sivathanu Pillai, CEO and MD BrahMos Aerospace.

The emergence of space tourism, mining in planets and industrialisation of space has opened up ample opportunity for business in the space sector, Dr Pillai said while speaking at a seminar titled ‘Access to Space’ at the Bengaluru Space Expo here.

The cost of per flight costs around one million dollar. For a low cost access to space reusable launch vehicles are required, he said, adding, presently the expendable launch vehicles are in use but “we need reusable launch vehicles and some new concepts.”

India has proposed a human flight programme to develop space vehicle that will carry a crew of two to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and return safely to a predetermined destination on earth.

This new hyperplane concept provides higher payload capacity that is 15 percent of the total launch weight that will be placed in orbit. This will be possible due to the concept of mass addition during flight, which facilitates to liquefy air during the flight and use the same as oxidiser for fuel. Currently, space orbiters carry payload of 1.5 percent of the total launch weight. So this will be cost effective in the long term.

Dr Pillai said, the single stage vehicle to become fully reusable need some new technologies – scramjet propulsion, high technology materials, air liquefication and separation of liquid oxygen from the air that can be stored. These technologies are being developed for the mission. The vehicle has been designed to operate at Mach 25 with liquid hydrogen. The concept was presented at an international forum and was well received, he added.