ISRO begins tests on indigenous Cryogenic Engine for the much awaited GSLV D5 Mission
GSLV Mark II
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has commenced testing the indigenously developed cryogenic engine, which has been mounted on the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) — MK II.
Isro chairman K Radhakrishnan had announced earlier that the GSLV D5 mission, carrying GSAT-14, the communication satellite, would be launched on August 6 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota.
“Vehicle integration is going on at present. The cryogenic engine has been mounted on the launch vehicle, and elaborate checks are on,” Isro spokesperson Deviprasad Karnik said.
After a series of successful high-altitude tests at Isro's Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) in Thiruvananthapuram in the last few months, the engine was moved to Sriharikota, from where the GSLV will be launched.
The GSLV is a three-stage vehicle — the first stage has solid fuel, and the second stage is an engine carrying liquid propellant. The third stage, the indigenously built cryogenic upper stage, uses cryogenic propellants. According to senior Isro officials, the cryogenic stage enhances India's indigenous capability to launch communication satellites and other ambitious space missions.
This launch is crucial for India as the previous two GSLV missions in 2010 were unsuccessful. Of the two previous missions, one of the launch vehicles was fitted with the Indian cryogenic engine.
The cryo-powered GSLV rockets are important for the country's future space programmes like Chandrayaan-2. All the initial GSLV missions were fitted with cryogenic engines purchased from Russia. In 1992, when the United States pressured Russia to deny India the cryogenic technology, India decided to build the engine on its own.
Since then scientists at Isro have been working on developing an indigenous cryo engine, tested in a previous GSLV mission in 2010, which ended in failure.
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ISRO gets busy with GSLV launch - The Hindu