India has launched an
unmanned model space shuttle,
joining the race to develop
reusable spacecraft. The 7m scale model took off from
Andhra Pradesh and was expected
to fly about 70km (43 miles) into
the atmosphere before coming
down at sea. Since Nasa stopped its Space Shuttle programme in 2011, there has been strong international
competition to design alternative
reusable spacecraft. Such vehicles significantly cut the
cost of space exploration. India has been putting substantial
research and resources into its
space programme. A Mars orbiter launched in 2013 is its most high profile space venture
to date. It hopes to launch a full scale
reusable shuttle within a decade. Hypersonic speed Monday's launch of the Reusable
Launch Vehicle (RLV-TD) took place
at a site at Sriharikota. The 1.75-tonne craft was not
expected to survive the flight but
was designed to enable the Indian
Space Research Organisation (Isro)
to collect important data on
hypersonic speed and autonomous landing. The model was developed over the
past five years at a cost of 1bn
rupees ($14m; £9.6m). Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the "industrious efforts" of
the scientists involved. Since the US retired its space
shuttle programme, private
companies like billionaire Elon
Musk's SpaceX and Amazon owner
Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin are trying
to fill the gap. Japan, Europe and Russia are also
in the testing stages for similar
technology.
source: BBC NEWS

Nigeria ... we have the brain power, we be got the money, but we just have created an environment to motivate the future Newton's.... so unfortunate...

my brother so unfortunate