Indian scientists have already designed a prototype of the space shuttle to measure parameters of the vehicle and determine future work on the project, the official said.

"The launch vehicle will use a rocket to boost it up to Mach 5 or so," Nair said, adding that air-breathing modules could be integrated into the reusable delivery vehicle.

The news agency said the ISRO is also focusing its attention on an unmanned mission to Mars to study chemical attributes of the Martian atmosphere, and the planet's sub-soil and terrain. The mission could take place as early as in 2012.

India earlier announced plans to launch 15 telecommunications satellites and 8-10 earth remote sensing satellites by March 2012, when the 11th five-year plan has been completed.

earlier related report
India plans to launch reusable rocket by 2010
Bangalore (PTI) - India plans to launch a reusable rocket for the first time by 2010, says its space agency chief.

"Our target (for the first launch) is before 2010," Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), G Madhavan Nair, said.

The space scientists have already designed a "demonstrator" to measure parameters of the vehicle and further work is in progress, Nair, also Secretary in the Department of Space and Chairman of Space Commission, said.

A facility to study aspects of aerodynamics and related matters pertaining to the reusable launch vehicle is coming up in Thiruvananthapuram, he added.

"It will use a rocket to boost it up to a Mach Number of nearly five or so...then try to characterise the vehicle, and it will of course go into the sea after that."

ISRO is now planning experiments to see whether air breathing modules can be integrated into this reusable rocket.

"This will give inputs in taking up design of actual reusable launch vehicle," the ISRO Chairman said.

ISRO, meanwhile, is also focusing its attention on the Mars mission, which could take place as early as 2012.

"We have thrown this idea to the scientific community. They are coming out with some proposals and suggestions," Nair said.

Martian atmosphere is very interesting, he observed.

"And then about (Mars) terrain, some data is being collected by US rovers and things like that," Nair said.

He said that concrete proposals may take a year and added that they would have to decide on their course of action.

ISRO has also taken up the mission studies on its own.

"Using the GSLV, we can easily target a 500 kg satellite to be sent around Mars. It can have significant sensors on board which can study Martian atmosphere, its terrain and so on."

Nair added that if they receive concrete proposals, they could work on it and start a mission by 2012 or later than it.

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