The Hindu : Front Page : Indigenous cryogenic stage tested

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Sunday, Aug 05, 2007
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Indigenous cryogenic stage tested

T.S. Subramanain

CHENNAI: An indigenous cryogenic stage developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was successfully tested on the ground on Saturday for a long duration of eight minutes at the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) at Mahendragiri, near Nagercoil in Tamil Nadu.

The test took place around 6.30 p.m. ISRO officials called it a good test. All parameters of the stage including its engine performed normally, they said. A cryogenic stage is used as the topmost stage in ISRO’s Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) for putting in orbit INSAT-class of satellites weighing up to 2,500 kg in orbit.

This stage is necessary for putting such heavy satellites in orbit. This includes the engine, tanks for storing the propellants, control and guidance systems, and so on. Its development involves complex technology and use of propellants at extremely low temperatures. The propellants used in the cryogenic stage are liquid hydrogen at minus 260 degrees Celsius and liquid oxygen at minus 160 degrees Celsius.

In a GSLV flight, the cryogenic stage performs for 12 minutes before injecting the satellite into orbit. With the 8-minute test of the indigenous cryogenic stage successful, ISRO will later attempt a test for the full duration of 12 minutes.

ISRO chairman G. Madhavan Nair and LPSC director M.K.G. Nair were present during the test on Saturday.

There have been four GSLV flights from Sriharikota so far and all of them have used cryogenic stages from Russia.

The LPSC, Mahendragiri, was the lead-centre of ISRO for developing the indigenous cryogenic stage. Others involved in the development included the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, the ISRO Satellite Centre, Bangalore and the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota.

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