Chennai: Riding high on two previous successful GSLV flights powered by the indigenously-developed engine, India's cryogenic technology will go through another litmus test when it propels a GSLV rocket with one of the heaviest satellites in the INSAT/GSAT series on Thursday evening.
After three developmental flights, Isro scientists are now confident about the technology since they have declared Thursday's launch as the first operational flight with the indigenous cryogenic engine. GSLV is a three-stage launch vehicle and a cryogenic engine is used in the third or upper stage. A 2,211kg INSAT-3DR, an advanced weather satellite, will take-off on board GSLV-F05 from the Sriharikota spaceport.
"When we build a new rocket, we do a developmental flight to ascertain if it will work properly. Once we are confident, we call it an operational flight which will be considered a routine launch," an Isro scientist said. "GSLV-F05 will place the satellite in the geostationary transfer orbit from where the satellite with its propellant will raise to its final geostationary orbit," he said.
Cryogenic engines use liquid hydrogen as fuel and liquid oxygen as oxidizer to burn the fuel. It can produce 1.5 times the thrust compared to liquid rocket engines.
After a decade of development and flawless tests, the maiden developmental flight of the indigenous engine conducted on April 15, 2010, did not succeed. The GSLV, carrying a 2,220kg a communication satellite, plunged into the Bay of Bengal after take-off. The turbo pump supplying fuel to the engine had stopped. Critical modifications were made to the engine and the rocket before its first successful flight in 2014 and in 2015.
The development of indigenous cryogenic engines comes after all the Russia-supplied engines were used. These engines are essential to put satellites in geostationary orbit, but the technology - to burn a super-cooled fuel at extremely high temperatures - was sophisticated. Isro had to develop a material that could withstand high temperature and pressure during combustion.
After three developmental flights, Isro scientists are now confident about the technology since they have declared Thursday's launch as the first operational flight with the indigenous cryogenic engine. GSLV is a three-stage launch vehicle and a cryogenic engine is used in the third or upper stage. A 2,211kg INSAT-3DR, an advanced weather satellite, will take-off on board GSLV-F05 from the Sriharikota spaceport.
"When we build a new rocket, we do a developmental flight to ascertain if it will work properly. Once we are confident, we call it an operational flight which will be considered a routine launch," an Isro scientist said. "GSLV-F05 will place the satellite in the geostationary transfer orbit from where the satellite with its propellant will raise to its final geostationary orbit," he said.
Cryogenic engines use liquid hydrogen as fuel and liquid oxygen as oxidizer to burn the fuel. It can produce 1.5 times the thrust compared to liquid rocket engines.
After a decade of development and flawless tests, the maiden developmental flight of the indigenous engine conducted on April 15, 2010, did not succeed. The GSLV, carrying a 2,220kg a communication satellite, plunged into the Bay of Bengal after take-off. The turbo pump supplying fuel to the engine had stopped. Critical modifications were made to the engine and the rocket before its first successful flight in 2014 and in 2015.
The development of indigenous cryogenic engines comes after all the Russia-supplied engines were used. These engines are essential to put satellites in geostationary orbit, but the technology - to burn a super-cooled fuel at extremely high temperatures - was sophisticated. Isro had to develop a material that could withstand high temperature and pressure during combustion.