Bangalore, Aug. 5 (PTI): The indigenously-developed "cryogenic stage", to be used in India's Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) rocket, was on Saturday tested on the ground for eight minutes at a facility in Tamil Nadu.

"All parameters of the stage and the engine were normal," a release from the Indian Space Research Organisation said.

In October last year, a test was conducted for a short duration of 50 seconds. Yesterday's successful test at the liquid propulsion test facility in Mahendragiri constitutes a "major milestone towards the qualification of the stage," ISRO said.

The Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre is the lead facility for the development of a cryogenic upper stage with the involvement of other ISRO centres, including Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram, ISRO Satellite Centre in Bangalore and Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. These centres developed various components and systems of the stage, it said.

Several industries in the public and private sectors are also involved in its development.

The indigenous cryogenic engine has successfully completed tests totalling 6,000 seconds as part of its qualification programme.

Yesterday's long duration test has "validated the design, robustness and performance adequacy of the engine and the stage for its use in GSLV," the release said.