BENGALURU : Indian Space Researach Organisation (ISRO) is all set to launch the first developmental flight of its future launch vehicle, GSLV MKIII that could hurl into space a four tonne class satellite in Geo Transfer Orbit (GTO), early this year.
Soaring into the skies from the Satish Dhawan Spaceport in Sriharikota, the GSLV-MKIII would have a GSAT as its payload. The launch vehicle was in advanced stage of realisation, according to ISRO sources.
GSLV-MKIII consists of two solid strap-ons (S200) motors, one earth storable liquid core stage (L110) and the indigenously developed C25 cryogenic stage, powered by a CE20 cryogenic engine.
ISRO had in December last year successfully conducted the first flight acceptance test of the CE20 flight engine for duration of 25 seconds in high altitude simulation test facility, marking an important milestone for the Space Organisation.
The test enabled ISRO to successfully cross the major engine development endeavors in the maiden attempt. This engine was conceived, configured, designed, fabricated and developed by Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) in Thiruvananthapuram.
This was preceded by multiple tests on the two engines with sea level nozzle divergent and the development test conducted on these engines provided confidence in the design.
The design of the flight nozzle was also validated in the medium duration High Altitude Test programme, ISRO said.
The Engine High Altitude Test Programme contained a series of high altitude tests (5 hot tests with a cumulative duration of 41.20s) to demonstrate the vacuum ignition, validate the nozzle performance, propellant flow build up characteristics, chill down performance and demonstrate the ignition margins.
All the test objectives were successfully achieved. The testing of engine in HAT facility has also helped in finalising the engine start and shut down sequence for flight.
Summing up, the space agency said the test programme has imparted good confidence on the performance and functioning of CE20 Engine in GSLV MKIII (LVM3)-D1 mission.
To test the Engine at flight identical conditions, the HAT facility was established at IPRC, Mahendragiri. This facility allows testing of the CE20 engine at its full area ratio in vacuum condition which otherwise would experience flow separation at sea level ambient pressures.
(agencies)
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