Which one of the following statements about the reusable launch vehicle developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is not correct?

Introduction / Context:
India has been developing a reusable launch vehicle to reduce the cost of access to space. The Indian Space Research Organisation conducted an important technology demonstration flight of a Reusable Launch Vehicle Technology Demonstrator. Since this was a landmark experiment, many examinations ask detailed factual questions about its key features. This question focuses on which statement about that reusable launch vehicle is not correct, so you must recall technical details such as launch site, altitude and type of booster.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The mission being referred to is the test of ISRO's Reusable Launch Vehicle Technology Demonstrator.
• Several features are described: date of launch, launch location, maximum altitude and booster type.
• Only one statement in the four options is factually incorrect.
• Exact day or month details are not as important as the overall correctness of the description.

Concept / Approach:
A good approach is to recall the basic profile of the Reusable Launch Vehicle Technology Demonstrator mission. The flight took place from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, used a solid fuel booster and reached an upper atmosphere altitude in the range of around 65 kilometres before beginning a guided descent. The mission tested reentry and landing characteristics rather than placing any satellite into orbit. By matching each option against these known facts, you can identify which description is technically wrong, even if some minor wording details differ from exact technical documents.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Analyse Option B. It states that the launch was from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. This is correct, as Sriharikota is the usual launch site for ISRO missions. Step 2: Analyse Option C. It mentions that the reusable launch vehicle climbed to a height of about 65 kilometres before steering back for landing. This description matches the widely reported mission profile, so this option is correct. Step 3: Analyse Option A. It states that in June 2016, ISRO successfully launched India's first reusable space vehicle. The mission actually took place around this period, and the key idea that ISRO successfully launched its first reusable space vehicle is correct for examination purposes, so this statement is broadly acceptable. Step 4: Analyse Option D. It claims that the vehicle was boosted by a rocket that contained liquid fuel. In reality, the booster used for the technology demonstrator was a solid propellant rocket stage, not a liquid fuel engine. Therefore, this statement is factually incorrect. Step 5: Conclude that Option D is the only incorrect statement and is therefore the required answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
An alternative check is to remember typical ISRO launch vehicles. Many early technology demonstrators favour solid propellant boosters because they are mechanically simpler and easier to handle for short experimental flights. The Reusable Launch Vehicle Technology Demonstrator was also designed to test winged reentry and autonomous navigation, not complex liquid fuel systems. Additionally, official mission summaries highlight that a solid booster carried the winged body to the upper atmosphere, after which the winged body performed a controlled descent. These points confirm that any statement describing the booster as a liquid fuel rocket is incorrect.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Option A: Though the exact month may differ in some sources, the key fact that ISRO successfully launched India's first reusable winged space vehicle in that period is true, so this is accepted as correct.
• Option B: Correctly identifies Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota as the launch site.
• Option C: Correctly captures the approximate peak altitude and the fact that the vehicle automatically returned towards a landing after reaching that height.

Common Pitfalls:
Candidates often get confused between solid and liquid propellant stages because both types are used in different ISRO rockets. Another pitfall is to doubt the mission details such as the altitude or launch site, when these are actually standard for most Indian launches. Some examinees may also focus too much on the specific month mentioned instead of the broader correctness of the statement. For such factual science questions, it is wise to focus on clear technical aspects like type of fuel and launch location, which are unlikely to be ambiguous.

Final Answer:
The statement that is not correct about the reusable launch vehicle is that the vehicle was initially boosted by a rocket that contained liquid fuel.