Mega Rocket 'Soorya' In the Making, Will Take Indians To Moon: ISRO Chief To NDTV

Speaking to NDTV, ISRO chief S Somnath talked about the future missions and the Next-Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV) India is building to take humans to the Moon.

The Indian Space Research Organisation is setting its sights again on the Moon after a successful Chandrayaan-3 mission last year, but now it plans to send humans to the natural satellite.

Speaking to NDTV, ISRO chief S Somnath talked about the future missions and the Next-Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV) India is building to take humans to the Moon. "We are building a new rocket called NGLV or 'Soorya'. It is currently under design and will have a new engine based on LOx (Liquid Oxygen) and Methane. It will have liquid oxygen and methane engines for the lower stages, the upper stages will have a cryogenic engine."

He added that 'Soorya', India's mega-rocket, will be much bigger than the present ones. The Low Earth Orbit (LEO) payload capacity will be over 40 tonnes, this is very much required for human spaceflight missions. It is the Soorya rocket that will send India's Gaganyatri to the lunar surface, hopefully by 2040.