Magazine : 
India's 10-Tonne Vertical Mixer Boosts Space Tech Innovation: ISRO
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced a major breakthrough in its technological strength with the successful development of an indigenous 10-tonne vertical propellant mixer. The mixer, a critical piece of equipment for processing solid propellants employed in rocket motors, reflects India's increasing strength in advanced space technology.
Indigenously developed at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, jointly with the Central Manufacturing Technology Institute (CMTI), Bengaluru, the 10-tonne mixer is the world's largest of its kind. With an approximate weight of 150 tonnes, length of 5.4 metres, width of 3.3 metres, and height of 8.7 metres, the mixer is designed to execute the intricate and risky operation of blending solid propellant ingredients with unwavering accuracy.
ISRO pointed out that the achievement of this mixer stands as a milestone for India towards self-reliance and technology development under the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' program in the space sector. The department has taken several projects to create the key technologies and equipment with a view to lessen reliance on others.
The large capacity mixer will greatly improve the production rate and quality control of heavy solid motors. With multiple hydrostatic-driven agitators, it can also be remotely controlled by a PLC-based control system coupled with Supervisor Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA). The system provides safe, reliable, and accurate mixing of highly hazardous and sensitive materials.
The mixer has cleared stringent factory-level acceptance tests and is anticipated to enhance throughput and productivity for the manufacture of solid motors. ISRO and CMTI formally transferred the propellant mixer in Bengaluru recently, a critical milestone in India's space manufacturing capabilities.
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