ISRO Tests New Rocket Engine That Could Make Launches 10 Times Cheaper

[proud_indian]

ISRO Tests New Rocket Engine That Could Make Launches 10 Times Cheaper​

All India | Written by Pallava Bagla | Updated: August 28, 2016 07:46 IST

ISRO tested a new SCRAMJET rocket engine from Sriharikota Sunday morning. (File)​

HIGHLIGHTS

1. ISRO tests SCRAMJET engine that draws oxygen from air not fuel tank
2. Currently it costs around $20,000 to send one kg of matter into space
3. Only US, Australia have tested such engines

The Indian space agency ISRO on Sunday morning tested a new rocket engine which could bring down launch costs by up to 10-fold. With the successful launch, India joined the league of only two nations which have the technology.

Called a Super Sonic Combustion RAM Jet or SCRAMJET, the engine was tested from Sriharikota off the coast of Andhra Pradesh using a sounding rocket at 6 am.

ISRO Chairman Dr Kiran Kumar told NDTV the test was "a grand success".

The rocket, also called Advanced Technology Vehicle (ATV), had lift-off weight of 3,000 kg and the new air-breathing engine was tested for a mere 5 seconds.

Usually rockets carry both fuel and oxidiser for the combustion to happen. This new engine takes in oxygen from the atmosphere as its fuel. This reduces the overall weight of the rocket and increases efficiency.

The test was to happen much earlier but ISRO postponed the launch as many ships and aircraft were patrolling the Bay of Bengal looking for missing Indian Air Force AN 32 plane on July 22, 2016.

Only America and Australia have tested such air-breathing engines and India joined a select club with the successful launch.

Eventually, the aim is to place this new rocket alongside the Re-usable Launch Vehicle (RLV) which India successfully tested a few months ago to make rocket launches more affordable. Currently it costs around $20,000 to send one kg of matter into space.

http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/isro-tests-new-rocket-engine-that-could-make-launches-10-times-cheaper-1451222​

 

[Nilgiri]

Everyone check out the earlier thread here:

https://defence.pk/threads/scramjet-...sarabhai-space-centre-s-test-facility.438456/

Things are moving on at a fast clip!

@PARIKRAMA @Abingdonboy @Water Car Engineer @django @AndrewJin @anant_s

 

[Ankit Kumar 002]

So the test happened today ?

Yes , a very welcome news.

https://twitter.com/x/status/769726813690064896

 

[ThinkLogically]

While conventional rocket engines need to carry both fuel and oxidiser on board for combustion to produce thrust, scramjet engines obtain oxygen from the atmosphere by compressing the incoming air before combustion at hypersonic speed.


The test-flight of the indigenously-developed supersonic combustion ramjet engine took place from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 6 a.m.

ISRO on Sunday successfully test-fired a newly-developed Scramjet Rocket Engine, DDNews reported. The air-breathing propulsion experiment involves its RH-560 rocket fitted with a supersonic combustion ramjet (Scramjet) engine.

The test-flight of the indigenously-developed scramjet engine took place from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 6 a.m., according to news agencies.

The test was to have been done on July 28, 2016 but the search by the Indian Air Force and the Navy for the IAF’s transport aircraft An-32, which disappeared over the Bay of Bengal has delayed it by a month. The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram, has developed the engines to be used in a two-stage RH-560 rocket.

Named Advanced Technology Vehicle (ATV), the test platform comprises a scramjet engine hitched to the RH- 560 rocket.

“The vehicle has been characterised and is being fabricated at the VSSC and the ISRO Propulsion Complex, Mahendragiri,” VSSC Director K.Sivan had told The Hindu during preparations for the launch of the PSLV-C34.

Space agencies across the world are focussing on the development of scramjet technology because it contributes to smaller launch vehicles with more payload capacity and promises cheaper access to outer space.

Atmospheric oxygen

While conventional rocket engines need to carry both fuel and oxidiser on board for combustion to produce thrust, scramjets obtain oxygen from the atmosphere by compressing the incoming air before combustion at hypersonic speed. The scramjet engine can also liquefy the oxygen and store it on board.

 

[proud_indian]

So the test happened today ?

Yes , a very welcome news.

https://twitter.com/x/status/769726813690064896

https://twitter.com/x/status/769705214970441729

 

[Skull and Bones]

Congratulations to ISRO, hopefully they'll use it for commercial launches soon.

 

[Nilgiri]

Congratulations to ISRO, hopefully they'll use it for commercial launches soon.

That will be quite some time away.

 

[django]

Everyone check out the earlier thread here:

https://defence.pk/threads/scramjet-...sarabhai-space-centre-s-test-facility.438456/

Things are moving on at a fast clip!

@PARIKRAMA @Abingdonboy @Water Car Engineer @django @AndrewJin @anant_s

Have the Russians and Chinese demonstrated this capability, very impressive, props to the folks at ISRO

 

[proud_indian]

 

[Nilgiri]

Have the Russians and Chinese demonstrated this capability, very impressive, props to the folks at ISRO

Russians tested a system called "Holod" in early 90s....but there is debate as to whether this was a true scramjet.

They have had some notable success but I don't think there has been a full outright confirmed test (but we will need more parameters of this ISRO one like duration of pulse burn etc to get a proper comparison)...though Russians have reported success and burn times of 70+ seconds which would be quite commendable if its a proper scramjet.

There have been reports of a successful Chinese test as well, but details on that are hard to come by....and it may have been a ramjet+. There certainly is no video/photos of the actual test as far as I am aware (though I doubt we will see that for the Indian one either).

http://www.popsci.com/chinese-hypersonic-engine-wins-award-reshapes-speed-race

So "demonstrated" capability (esp with neutral 3rd party verification) is very hard to come by with anyone....so don't take the "joins only 2 nation club" thing too seriously.

 

[thesolar65]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...ramjet-rocket-engine/articleshow/53893560.cms

http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/isro...-could-make-launches-10-times-cheaper-1451222

@Skull and Bones @anant_s @jbgt90 @ranjeet @Levina

 

[indiatester]

Good achievement. ISRO should also look into the capability of landing the used up stages. That should make launches substantially cheaper.

 

[proud_indian]

@Nilgiri what would be the prospective application of this very technology other than space transport (RLV-TD)?

 

[django]

Russians tested a system called "Holod" in early 90s....but there is debate as to whether this was a true scramjet.

They have had some notable success but I don't think there has been a full outright confirmed test (but we will need more parameters of this ISRO one like duration of pulse burn etc to get a proper comparison)...though Russians have reported success and burn times of 70+ seconds which would be quite commendable if its a proper scramjet.

There have been reports of a successful Chinese test as well, but details on that are hard to come by....and it may have been a ramjet+. There certainly is no video/photos of the actual test as far as I am aware (though I doubt we will see that for the Indian one either).

http://www.popsci.com/chinese-hypersonic-engine-wins-award-reshapes-speed-race

So "demonstrated" capability (esp with neutral 3rd party verification) is very hard to come by with anyone....so don't take the "joins only 2 nation club" thing too seriously.

ISRO is in the big league, no question about it, the Mars mission ,chandryaan 1 completed and 2 on the brink, salute to the scientists and engineers at ISRO. No doubt some of the Chinese bloggers will counter the All India article with their own sources.Kudos and nice share.

 

[ashok321]

ISRO Successfully Conducts Futuristic Rocket Test, Joins Select Club

http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/isro-to-test-scramjet-engine-on-sunday-1451043


"While carrying out the tests there was a technical issue found with a satellite component. It has been sorted out now and hence the delay."