India's 1st reusable hybrid rocket 'RHUMI-1' launched

New Delhi, (IANS): Tamil Nadu-based startup Space Zone, in collaboration with the Martin Group on Saturday successfully launched India’s first reusable hybrid rocket 'RHUMI-1'.

RHUMI-1, carrying 3 Cube satellites and 50 PICO satellites was launched to a suborbital trajectory from the TTDC Ground in Thiruvidandhai, ECR, Chennai using a mobile launcher, the company said.

The satellites aim to collect data for research purposes on global warming and climate change.

Equipped with a generic-fuel-based hybrid motor and electrically triggered parachute deployer, the rocket is 100 per cent pyrotechnic-free and 0 per cent TNT.

“The demand for small satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) is increasing in India,” said Anand Megalingam, founder and CEO of Space Zone, in a company blog post, before the launch.

This, he said, prompted “the company to focus on capturing the small satellite market while employing a Hybrid Propulsion system to ensure cost-effectiveness”.

Mission RHUMI was led by Dr. Mylswamy Annadurai, The Moon Man of India, Former Director ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC), and Megalingam as its Mission Director.

Other key features of RHUMI-1 include its angle, which can be fine-tuned from 0 to 120 degrees, allowing precise trajectory control.

The company also built an innovative, cost-effective, and eco-friendly descent mechanism that will ensure the safe recovery of rocket components.

The RHUMI-1 rocket combines both liquid and solid fuel propellant systems which will not only improve efficiency and reduce operational costs but will also ensure environmental safety.

The rocket’s applications go beyond space exploration to areas such as agriculture, environmental monitoring, and disaster management, the company said.

Reusability enables space companies to refly the most expensive parts of the rocket. This can in turn lower the cost of space access, open outer space for business, and also help create new services like direct-to-device satellite connectivity.

In February 2023, Space Zone India launched India’s first hybrid rocket from the Atomic Research Centre in Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu. The company has developed various rockets like RHUMI-1, RHUMI-2, and RHUMI-3, each tailored for altitudes ranging from 1 km to 500 km.

In addition, the company also designed and developed its own ground-supporting equipment for rocket launches, creating portable launch systems that can easily be moved from one location to another without the need for large transportation.The company next aims to seek investors for its upcoming rocket launches. India's 1st reusable hybrid rocket 'RHUMI-1' launched | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com

Read More........→September 04, 2024

Toyota Once Again Rumored to be Mulling a Replacement for the Supra

Carscoop: After so many reports about Toyota resurrecting the Supra, one would be inclined to doubt the persistent rumors. On the other hand, we have the example of the on-again, off-again, on-again Acura/Honda NSX, which came into fruition with the presentation of the pre-production concept at the Detroit Auto show in January. Taking everything we have heard and seen over the past year into consideration, most importantly Toyota's newly found commitment to developing cars with more emotional styling and handling characteristics, there is a strong possibility that these rumors about a Suprareplacement originate from facts. Officially, the last time Toyota hinted at a direct successor to the Supra was in 2007 with the FT-HS Concept, a sharp looking two-seater model powered by a 400-horsepower hybrid powertrain linking a 3.5-liter V6 petrol engine to an electric motor. That project ended with the financial crisis that ensued the following year. Fast forward to today and following a recent report from UK's Car Magazine that cited an unnamed source saying that Toyota is working on a potential successor to the Supra, another magazine, this time from the U.S., is claiming that the project is back in the cards, but with a twist. Motor Trend says that Toyota is looking to channel the FT-HS Concept's styling philosophy into a new project based on the platform and running gear of the GRMN SPORTS HYBRID Concept II. What the magazine fails to mention in the article is that both the 2010 GRMN SPORTS HYBRIDand the revised 2011 GRMN SPORTS HYBRID II are based on the last generation of the MR2 roadster, which would be an odd choice for a Supra replacement in terms of size, though in theory, the powertrain bits could be used. In its latest form, the roadster model that was developed by Toyota and its motorsports partner Gazoo Racing, featured a mid-mounted 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine rated at 249-horses working in tandem with a single electric motor to drive the rear wheels, with a total system output of 299-horsepower. However, MT says that the production car would use a 400-horsepower hybrid powertrain with a V6 driving the rear axle and "in-wheel electric motors" turning the front wheels. This means that the setup is quite different from the one showcased in the GRMN SPORTS HYBRID Concept II. The article claims that if the project gets the green light, the coupe could reach in showrooms by late 2015 "for less than $60,000".Source: Carscoop

Read More........→July 13, 2012