ISRO Targets 2047 for Hypersonic Spaceplane That Could Redefine Global Travel

In a bold stride toward redefining space access and global mobility, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has unveiled its vision for a Hypersonic Transport Platform (HTP)—a reusable, runway-launched vehicle capable of flying at speeds beyond Mach 5. Targeted for deployment by 2047, this initiative marks a transformative milestone in India’s space ambitions, aligning with the centenary of independence and the nation’s evolving role in the global tech frontier.

ISRO’s Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) Landing Experiment photo 

What Is the Hypersonic Transport Platform?

Unlike conventional rockets, ISRO’s HTP is designed to take off like an aircraft, accelerate to hypersonic speeds, and reach suborbital altitudes—before returning safely to Earth. This dual-purpose platform could serve both space missions and ultra-fast intercontinental travel, shrinking global distances to mere hours or even minutes.

The Tech Behind the Vision

ISRO’s roadmap builds on years of foundational research and successful prototypes:

• Scramjet Propulsion: Air-breathing engines that operate at hypersonic speeds, reducing fuel load and improving efficiency.
• Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV): The HTP is a natural evolution of ISRO’s RLV program, which has already demonstrated autonomous landing capabilities.
• Thermal-Resistant Materials: Advanced composites and alloys to withstand extreme heat and pressure during high-speed flight.
• AI-Driven Navigation: Precision guidance systems for autonomous launch, orbit insertion, and recovery.

Strategic Implications for India

Impact Area	Potential Outcomes
Space Access	Rapid, low-cost satellite deployment and cargo delivery
Defense & Security	High-speed reconnaissance and strategic mobility
Commercial Aviation	Intercontinental travel in under an hour
Space Tourism	Viable platform for suborbital passenger flights
Tech Spillover	Innovations in propulsion, materials, and AI for broader industrial applications

Vision 2047: A National Milestone

The HTP is a cornerstone of India’s Space Vision 2047, which also includes:

• A Bharatiya Antariksh Station by 2035
• A crewed lunar mission by 2040
• Expansion of private space partnerships and global launch services

Together, these initiatives position India not just as a spacefaring nation, but as a leader in next-gen aerospace innovation.

The Future Beckons

Imagine boarding a hypersonic craft in Bengaluru and landing in San Francisco in under 90 minutes. Or launching satellites on demand from a reusable platform that returns to base like a jetliner. ISRO’s HTP isn’t just a vehicle—it’s a vision of mobility without limits, where space and time compress into possibility.

India-Born Gopi Thotakura Becomes 1st Indian To Go To Space As A Tourist

In a historic moment, India-born Gopi Thotakura's participation in the Blue Origin's New Shepard-25 (NS-25) mission marks a significant milestone as he becomes the first Indian citizen to travel to space as a tourist.

The mission, which included a diverse crew, successfully completed its 25th flight, contributing to the advancement of commercial space travel. It's inspiring to see individuals like Gopi Thotakura and the rest of the crew, including the notable former Air Force Captain Ed Dwight, partake in such pioneering journeys. This event not only represents a personal achievement for the crew members but also signifies the growing accessibility of space travel for civilians.

Gopi is a pilot and aviator, and a graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He’s co-founder of Preserve Life Corp, a global center for holistic wellness and applied health located near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

 

The NS-25 Crew (from left to right) : Gopi Thotakura, Mason Angel, Carol Schaller, Ed Dwight, Ken Hess, and Sylvain Chiron.

Andhra Pradesh born Gopi knows flying jets commercially and he pilots bush, aerobatic, and seaplanes, as well as gliders and hot air balloons, and has served as an international medical jet pilot. Gopi is from Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh who later settled in US. He took pilot training there and piloted many commercial jets, skyplanes and air ambulances.

 

The duration of Gopi Thotakura's Blue Origin space flight is not explicitly mentioned in the Blue Origin's press release. However, typical suborbital flights with Blue Origin's New Shepard last approximately 11 minutes from launch to capsule landing. This includes a few minutes of weightlessness in space.

The NS-25 mission marks the seventh human spaceflight for the New Shepard program and the 25th in its history, further advancing the possibilities of commercial space travel.

Blue Origin's New Shepard program is a significant venture in the field of commercial space travel aka Space Tourism. Named after Alan Shepard, the first American in space, the New Shepard is a fully reusable suborbital rocket system designed from the outset for human flight.

The system is capable of vertical takeoff and landings, providing an 11-minute journey that takes astronauts past the Kármán line, which is the internationally recognized boundary of space at 100 km/62 miles above Earth.

The crew capsule is pressurized and features large windows, offering each space-tourist a window seat and the opportunity to experience several minutes of weightlessness and breathtaking views of Earth.

The New Shepard program has successfully completed multiple missions, including the recent NS-25 mission, marking its seventh human spaceflight and the 25th flight overall for the program. This milestone reflects Blue Origin's ongoing efforts to build a road to space for the benefit of Earth, making space more accessible for research, technology development, and tourism.

Space Travel Can Cause Anaemia, Destroying 3 Mn RBCs/Second

While space tourism is one of the new industries that grew up amid pandemic and lockdowns, and billionaires races on who's first to put civilians out of the Earth's gravity. A new study revealed that space travel can cause lower red blood cell counts -- known as space anaemia.

"Space anaemia" is something scientists have known since the very first missions returned to Earth - but exactly why it happens has been a mystery.

A latest study by University of Ottawa, studied 14 astronauts says --- 3 million red blood cells (RBCs) are destroyed per second in space, compared to 2  million on terra firma (dry land or solid ground). "Fortunately, the body can compensate. If it didn't, astronauts would become very ill in space."

The study published in Nature Medicine, investigated astronauts including Britain's Tim Peake - on six-month stays at the International Space Station (ISS). The study findings suggest that the destruction of RBCs, termed hemolysis, is a primary effect of microgravity in space flight and support the hypothesis that the anemia associated with space flight is a hemolytic condition that should be considered in the screening and monitoring of both astronauts and space tourists.

"As humankind plans extraterrestrial travel, understanding the health implications of living in space will be critical to planning safe journeys", said that study findings.

Earlier, Canadian researchers say that 50% more red blood cells are destroyed in space and this continues for however long the mission lasts. 

Dr Guy Trudel of the University of Ottawa, who led this study of funded by the Canadian Space Agency, said "If you are on your way to Mars and ... you can’t keep up...with the need to produce all those extra red blood cells, “you could be in serious trouble"

A year after returning to Earth, the astronauts’ red blood cells had not completely returned to pre-flight levels, Dr Trudel's team reported on Friday in Nature Medicine.

A total of 14 astronauts were studied (11 men and 3 women; 45 ± 7 years) between 2015 and 2020. The astronauts flew ISS missions of 167 ± 31 days duration. Each astronaut collected alveolar and ambient air samples as well as blood samples according to a prespecified schedule. The space samples were downmassed using automated reentry vehicles.

Travelling in Space Becoming A Reality As Richard Branson's Firm Gets Commercial License Wining Over Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk

Now the dream of traveling in space is about to become a reality. That is, now people will be able to roam in space and enjoy the scenery there because Virgin Galactic, the spaceship company of billionaire Richard Branson, has got approval for takeoff.

Spacecraft company Virgin Galactic said on Friday that it has received commercial license from the US Aviation Safety Regulator (FAA) to take people into space. With this, Virgin Galactic has become the first company to get permission from the FAA to bring customers to space, winning over Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and Elon Musk's SpaceX.

After this decision, the competition in the new and expensive space tourism sector will increase. 

Notably, Virgin Galactic still plans three additional test flights, one of which is expected to include Branson himself.

Virgin Galactic is targeting early 2022 to begin commercial service. The company has sold some 600 tickets priced at between $200,000 to $250,000.

Earlier this month, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos announced plans to fly into space in July with his company, Blue Origin. A mystery bidder spent $28 million to join Bezos and his brother in the July 20 launch.

Space Tourism - 3 Big Companies

After this green signal, a new sector of space tourism will be developed. The Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) approval for Branson comes at a time when the world's richest billionaire and Amazon owner Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin and Tesla boss Elon Musk's SpaceX are also in the race for space. Making a claim. The three companies active in space tourism were considered to be a tough competitor of each other, but in the meantime Virgin Galactic won.

Virgin Galactic's approach is different from SpaceX and Blue Origin as rockets of later companies launch vertically from the ground and Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo aircraft launches horizontally from the air.

Virgin Galactic has a sizeable waiting list of individuals hoping to travel to space, many of whom have paid in advance.

The Ticket Price

Virgin Galactic completed its first manned space flight from its new home port in New Mexico in May last month. The 6-passenger SpaceShipTwo Craft with its two pilots landed safely on the runway. At the same time, the company has said that it has more than 600 reservations for 90-minute flights. Which costs $250,000 per ticket. On the other hand, if we talk in Indian rupees, then the price will be around (Rs 1,85,55,425 or Rs. 1.85 crores)

Space Tourism: Jeff Bezos To Send Civilians To Space, Offering A Seat In Online Auction

Amazon Inc founder Jeff Bezos-founded aerospace manufacturing and sub-orbital spaceflight services company, Blue Origin LLC, has announced that it would start selling tickets for suborbital flights to the edge of space. 

The first flight of "New Shepard" rocket is scheduled for July 20, and Blue Origin is auctioning off one single ticket to the highest bidder. Named after astronaut Alan Shepard, the second man and first American to go to space, New Shepard is Blue Origin’s reusable suborbital rocket system designed to take astronauts and research payloads into space.

The rocket is designed to carry up to six tourists per flight.

The online auction will be held in three parts -- The first phase, from May 5 to May 19, allows people to bid any amount on the website. After May 19, the bids will be unsealed, and on June 12, Blue Origin will hold a live auction to determine the winner.

On July 20th, #NewShepard will fly its first astronaut crew to space. We are offering one seat on this first flight to the winning bidder of an online auction. Anyone can place an opening bid by going to https://t.co/6DpTdTxo36. #GradatimFerociter pic.twitter.com/jBMFYX7xHg

— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) May 5, 2021

The winning bid amount will be donated to Blue Origin’s foundation, Club for the Future, to inspire future generations to pursue careers in STEM and help invent the future of life in space.

It is to be noted that whoever places the winning bid won’t be the first tourist in space as Dennis Tito, a wealthy American businessman, became history's first space tourist. He reportedly paid $20 million for a seat on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft to be the first tourist to visit the International Space Station (ISS).