The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Wednesday announced that it has accomplished a major milestone in the human rating of its CE20 cryogenic engine that powers the cryogenic stage of the human-rated LVM3 launch vehicle for Gaganyaan missions, with the completion of the final round of ground qualification tests.
The tests were conducted on February 13, 2024.
The engine’s mettle was demonstrated through rigorous testing.
The final test was the seventh of a series of vacuum ignition tests carried out at the High Altitude Test Facility at ISRO Propulsion Complex, Mahendragiri, to simulate the flight conditions.
“Mission Gaganyaan: ISRO’s CE20 cryogenic engine is now human-rated for Gaganyaan missions”, ISRO posted on X.
“Rigorous testing demonstrates the engine’s mettle. The CE20 engine identified for the first uncrewed flight LVM3 G1 also went through acceptance tests”, it said.
The ground qualification tests for the human rating of the CE20 engine involved life demonstration tests, endurance tests, and performance assessment under nominal operating conditions as well as off-nominal conditions w.r.t thrust, mixture ratio, and propellant tank pressure.
All the ground qualification tests of the CE20 engine for the Gaganyaan programme have been successfully completed.
In order to qualify the CE20 engine for human rating standards, four engines have undergone 39 hot firing tests under different operating conditions for a cumulative duration of 8,810 seconds against the minimum human rating qualification standard requirement of 6,350 seconds.
Last year, ISRO has also successfully completed the acceptance tests of the flight engine identified for the first unmanned Gaganyaan (G1) mission tentatively scheduled for Q2 of 2024. This engine will power the upper stage of the human-rated LVM3 vehicle and has a thrust capability of 19 to 22 tonnes with a specific impulse of 442.5 seconds.
Gaganyaan, India’s first human space flight mission, will take place during the second
half of next year.
ISRO Chairman S.Somanath said the prestigious India’s first manned mission Gaganyaan
slated for next year (2025) was progressing right on target and two more abort missions
will be carried out this year after the success of the first unmanned flight (TV-D1) test last
year that demonstrated the crew escape system. The second test vehicle is also ready.
He also reiterated that 2024 will be the year of Gaganyaan.
“The year 2024 will be the year of Gaganyaan for ISRO. We will be conducting various
tests and other activities to realise the manned space mission in 2025.”
Apart from two unmanned missions this year, other tests like helicopter drop test, launchpad
abort tests and other tests are in the offing ahead of the next year’s maiden human flight
mission, he said.
The Gaganyaan Mission envisages launching a crew of two to three members to
an orbit of 400 km for a 3-day mission and bringing them back safely to the earth by
landing in Indian sea waters.
The spacecraft mainly consists of Crew Module and Service Module. The CM structure,
simulates the shape and size of the actual Gaganyaan crew module.
ISRO said the Gaganyaan mission project will be accomplished through an optimal strategy
by considering inhouse expertise, experience of Indian industry, intellectual capabilities of
Indian academia and research institutions along with cutting edge technologies available
with international agencies.
The pre-requisites for Gaganyaan mission include development of many critical
technologies including human rated launch vehicle for carrying crew safely to space,
Life Support System to provide an earth like environment to crew in space, crew
emergency escape provision and evolving crew management aspects for training,
recovery and rehabilitation of crew.
It said various precursor missions are planned for demonstrating the Technology
Preparedness Levels before carrying out the actual Human Space Flight mission.
These demonstrator missions include Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT), Pad Abort
Test (PAT) and Test Vehicle (TV) flights. Safety and reliability of all systems will be
proven in unmanned missions preceding manned mission.
LVM3 rocket–the well proven and reliable heavy lift launcher of ISRO, will be the
launch vehicle for Gaganyaan mission. It consists of solid stage, liquid stage and
cryogenic stage.
All systems in LVM3 launch vehicle are re-configured to meet human rating
requirements and christened Human Rated LVM3. HLVM3 will be capable of
launching the Orbital Module to an intended Low Earth Orbit of 400 km.
HLVM3 consists of Crew Escape System (CES) powered by a set of quick
acting, high burn rate solid motors which ensures that Crew Module along
with crew is taken to a safe distance in case of any emergency either at
launch pad or during ascent phase.
ISRO sid Human safety is of paramount importance in Gaganyaan mission.
In order to ensure the same, various new technologies comprising of Engineering
systems and Human centric systems are being developed and realised.
