India to have own cryogenic engines to put SLV in space
Monday, 05 April 2010, 15:06 IST   |    2 Comments
Printer Print Email Email
India to have own cryogenic engines to put SLV in space
Baghdad: Till now, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has been taking the help of Russian-made cryogenic engines for putting its satellite launch vehicles into space, but with an attempt to launch GSLV-D3 will help India to join the elite club of five nations in the world, who have already developed such technology. Talking to The Financial Express, ISRO Spokesperson said, "An indigenous cryogenic engine will power the GSLV for the first time. This is the maiden flight of a launch vehicle and it will give capability to the country of mastering advanced launch vehicle technology which very few countries have at present." Currently, the U.S, France, Japan, Russia and China have their own engines for satellite launch vehicles. Also, the new technology will bring down India's satellite launch cost by half. At present, the launch cost is pegged at around $20,000 per kg. The new technology will be tried out for the first time for the GSLV. The mission will make the country totally self-reliant in all aspects of launch vehicle technology. At a technical level, a cryogenic stage is the upper stage of a rocket that houses a cryogenic engine within it. Cryogenic technology involves the use of super-cooled liquid fuel to launch heavy rockets like the GSLV with the fuel being a mix of liquid hydrogen and oxygen. ISRO's previous GSLV flights carried Russian cryogenic engines procured earlier. In total, seven cryogenic stages were procured from Russia of which five stages have been utilized. While the GSLVs with Russian cryogenic engines have been designated as operational rockets after two developmental flights, the one that will go up now is called 'developmental flight 3' (GSLV D3) as it will be fired by the ISRO-developed cryogenic engine. With the demand for multiple satellites in communications and remote sensing areas expected to increase in the coming years, ISRO is also all set to develop an advanced version of GSLV called GSLV Mark III which is capable of putting a four tonne satellite into geostationary transfer orbit. Also, the Indian space centre is developing an advanced version of cryogenic engine, which contains 25 tonne of cryogenic fuel.

siliconindia