ISRO tests home-grown cryogenic rocket engine for 800 seconds

Bengaluru, July 20: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully ground-tested a home-grown developed ‘high thrust cryogenic rocket engine' for duration of 800 seconds.

ISRO sources said that the state-of-the-art cryogenic rocket engine, generating a nominal thrust of 19 tonnes, was endurance hot-tested on July 16, 2015 at the ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC) in Mahendragiri.

Situated in Tirunelveli District of Tamil Nadu, the IPRC Mahendragiri is equipped with most modern facilities for realising the cutting edge technology products for ISRO's space research programmme.

The latest test was for a duration of approximately 25 per cent more than the engine burn duration in flight.

The engine once operational will be used for powering the Cryogenic stage (C25), the upper stage of the next generation GSLV Mk-III launch vehicle of ISRO, capable of launching four-tonne class satellites.

This high-performance cryogenic engine was conceived, configured and realised by Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), the lead centre of ISRO responsible for developing liquid propulsion systems for various space programmes.

High-altitude test planned

The performance of the engine closely matches with the pre-test prediction made using the in-house developed cryogenic engine mathematical modelling and simulation software.

Prior to engine realisation, a series of subsystem level tests were carried out to independently evaluate the design of major subsystems like the turbopumps, thrust chamber, gas generator, flow control components, etc. Based on the confidence gained, the integrated engine testing was initiated.

As part of the C25 Stage development, further tests are planned in high-altitude conditions and in Stage configuration, prior to the flight stage realisation.

Engine design a total in-house effort

ISRO says that the engine design was totally an in-house effort with experts from fluid dynamics, combustion, thermal, structural, metallurgy, fabrication, rotor dynamics and control components working together.

The fabrication of major subsystems of the engine was carried out through Indian industries.

ISRO says that the recent successful endurance hot test of the first high thrust cryogenic engine is the 10th test in a series of tests planned and executed as part of the development of the engine employing complex cryogenic technology.

OneIndia News