Rocketcam shows India’s mini space shuttle flight.
ISRO has released a unique rocketcam video of Monday’s historic RLV-TD mission. The agency’s first-ever publicly released camera, the video follows the mission from launch to vehicle separation. The camera was located at the separation joint between the shuttle’s aft vertical stabilizers and the booster.
As the solid fueled rocket climbs into the morning sky, its exhaust trail can be seen leading back to the pad. The booster’s trajectory was guided by control surfaces on four fins located at the base of the rocket, which can be seen in motion.
Forty six seconds after liftoff, at an altitude of 59 kilometers (36.5 miles), the 9-ton, HS9 solid rocket booster burned out. Separating 12 seconds later, the RLV-TD continued to an altitude of 65 kilometers (40.3 miles), where it began its hypersonic descent into the Bay of Bengal.
The RLV-TD was not intended to be recovered, however ISRO stated the vehicle survived landing intact and was seen floating in the Bay by support vessels.
