ISRO's heaviest rocket ever will power crewed Moon missions
ISRO is building its heaviest rocket ever—the Lunar Module Launch Vehicle (LMLV)—to power India's future Moon missions, including the country's first crewed lunar landing by 2040.
Set to be ready by 2035, this giant will stand as tall as a 40-storey building and outclass the LVM-3 that flew Chandrayaan-3.
LMLV packs 27 engines, can haul up to 80 tons
The LMLV packs three stages (two liquid-fueled, one cryogenic) and a whopping 27 engines across its core and boosters.
It can haul up to 80 tons to low Earth orbit—way more than previous rockets—and about 27 tons toward the Moon.
Basically, it's built for much bigger missions.
It will also help launch modules for India's space station
LMLV will take over from the discontinued NGLV and help launch modules for India's own space station (Bharatiya Antariksh Station), which aims to be ready by 2035.
Until then, an upgraded LVM-3 will handle launches with smaller payloads.
A model of the rocket was recently showcased
ISRO showed off a model of the LMLV during National Space Day celebrations in August 2024—giving everyone a glimpse of what could shape India's next big leap in space.