Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle Successfully Flight-Tested Off Odisha’s Coast

Bhubaneswar: India on Monday successfully flight-tested Hypersonic Technology Demonstration Vehicle (HSTDV) from the Abdul Kalam Wheeler Island in Odisha’s Bhadrak district.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh took to Twitter to laud the first successful demonstration of the indigenously-developed hypersonic air-breathing scramjet propulsion system with the flight test of HSTDV, which is being considered as a big step towards Atmanirbhar Bharat.

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

The HSTDV can cruise at a speed of March 6 and move up to an altitude of 32.5 km (20 miles) in 20 seconds, according to the government. It can be used to intercept incoming missiles in the outer or the inner atmosphere.

Besides, its utility for long-range cruise missiles of the future, the dual-use technology will have multiple civilian applications also. It can be used for launching satellites at a low cost too, news agency PTI quoted a government official as saying.