India successfully test fires Hypersonic Technology Demonstration Vehicle

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test-fired the Hypersonic Technology Demonstration Vehicle at 11 am on September 7, 2020 from the Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Launch Complex at Wheeler Island, off the coast of Odisha.

The successful flight test of the indigenously-developed Hypersonic Technology Demonstration Vehicle (HSTDV) enabled the successful demonstration of the Hypersonic air-breathing scramjet technology, which is a major technological breakthrough for India.

It's a major technological breakthrough in country. This testing paves the way for development of more critical technologies, materials & hypersonic vehicles. This puts India in a selected club of nations who have demonstrated this technology: DRDO Chairman Dr G Satheesh Reddy https://t.co/2HcZOwovns pic.twitter.com/6pZvK2x244

— ANI (@ANI) September 7, 2020

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the DRDO for the successful test flight of the HSTDV, calling it a "landmark achievement". He tweeted saying that with this success, all critical technologies are now established to progress to the next phase.

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

Key Highlights

• The Hypersonic Technology Demonstration Vehicle is expected to power futuristic long-range missile systems and aerial platforms.

• The HSTDV, based on hypersonic propulsion technologies, has been indigenously developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

• With the successful test flight of the HSTDV, India has demonstrated capabilities for highly complex technology that will serve as the building block for next-generation hypersonic vehicles in partnership with the domestic defence industry.

What is Hypersonic Technology Demonstration Vehicle?

The Hypersonic Technology Demonstration Vehicle powers cruise missiles and operate on scramjet engines that can attain the speed of around Mach 6, which is far more advanced than ramjet engines that are used currently.