DRDO: India successfully test fires Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle

Last updated Sep 7, 2020

New DelhiI : India conducted a successful first test flight of the indigenously developed Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSDTV), joining an elite group US, Russia and China possessing the technology on monday.

The success of the flight test was confirmed by ‘India’s defence minister Rajnath Singh, he tweeted, ‘The DRDOIndia has today successfully flight tested the Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle using the indigenously developed scramjet propulsion system. With this success, all critical technologies are now established to progress to the next phase’.

The @DRDO_India has today successfully flight tested the Hypersonic Technology Demontrator Vehicle using the indigenously developed scramjet propulsion system. With this success, all critical technologies are now established to progress to the next phase.
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) September 7, 2020

He also congratulated DRDO, In tweet he said, ‘I congratulate DRDO on this landmark achievement towards realising PM’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat. I spoke to the scientists associated with the project and congratulated them on this great achievement. India is proud of them’.

I congratulate to DRDO on this landmark achievement towards realising PM’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat. I spoke to the scientists associated with the project and congratulated them on this great achievement. India is proud of them.
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) September 7, 2020

DRDO issued a statement describing the event as ‘historic’. ‘DRDO with this mission, has demonstrated capabilities for highly complex technology that will serve as the building block for NextGen Hypersonic vehicles in partnership with industry’, it added.

The HSDTV has a range of uses, including missiles of the future, and energy-efficient, low cost and reusable satellite-launch vehicles.The HSTDV is an unmanned scramjet (allowing supersonic combustion) technology demonstrator that can cruise up to a speed of mach 6 (or six times the speed of sound) and rise up to an altitude of 32 kilometres in 20 seconds. India first tested the HSTDV last year in June.