In a big move towards the development of the Gaganyaan Mission, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully tested the cryogenic engine that will power Indian astronauts to space. The Indian space agency completed the human rating of its cryogenic engine (CE-20) that will power the cryogenic stage of Launch Vehicle Mark-II (LVM-3) to space. The heavy lift launch vehicle has been chosen to launch Indian astronauts to space on the maiden flight of the Gaganyaan Mission.
ISRO posted on X: Mission Gaganyaan: ISRO CE20 cryogenic engine is now huma rated for Gaganyaan Missions. Rigorous testing demonstrates the engine’s mettle. The CE20 engine identified for the first uncrewed flight LVM-3-G1 also went through acceptance tests.”
The test, the seventh of a series of vacuum ignitions test was conducted at the High-Altitude-Test Facility at ISRO Propulsion Complex Mahendragiri where engineers simulated the flight conditions. “The ground qualification tests for the human rating of the CE20 engine involved life demonstration tests and performance assessment under nominal conditions with respect to thrust, mixture ratio and propellant tank pressure,” ISRO said in an update.
With the latest tests, the ground qualifications tests for the Gaganyaan mission have been completed. Human-rating refers to rating a system that is capable of safely transporting humans.
“To qualify the CE20 engine for human rating standards, four engines have undergone 39 hot firing tests under different operating conditions for a cumulative duration of 8810 seconds against the minimum human rating qualification standard requirement of 6350 seconds,” ISRO said.
The Indian Space Agency in 2023 conducted the test launch of the Test Vehicle (TV-D1), a single stage liquid rocket. The TV-D1 test flight was a crucial part of the Gaganyaan Mission, which aimed to demonstrate India’s capability for human spaceflight by sending a crew of three individuals into a 400km orbit for a three-day mission and ensuring their safe return by landing in the waters of the Indian Ocean.
The test flight was to asses the mid flight crew escape system of an early version of Gaganyaan crew Module. The TV-D1 vehicle used a modified VIKAS engine with a crew module and Crew Escape System mounted at its front. It stood 34.9 meters tall and had a lift off weight of 44 tonnes Its structure was a single walled unpressurised aluminium structure with a simulated thermal protection system.
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