ISRO’s cryogenic technology on test with the GSLV-D3

Bangalore: If the Indian Space Research Organisation's attempt to launch its largest rocket, the GSLV-D3, with an indigenous cryogenic stage and engine succeeds, then India will become only the fifth or sixth country in the world to have successfully developed such technology.

GSLV Mark III

According to ISRO officials, cryogenic technology involves the use of super-cooled liquid fuel to launch heavy rockets like the GSLV with the fuel being a mix of liquid hydrogen and oxygen. They point out that launching rockets with liquid fuel of the cryogenic kind has never been easy and this time, with the GSLV-D3 launch, ISRO will attempt to do it on its own with a stage and an engine that has been developed by it.

ISRO successfully tested the cryogenic engine recently when the engine was tested for the full flight duration of 720 seconds at the liquid propulsion test facility at Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu.

The indigenous cryogenic stage now remains to be tested in actual flight.

ISRO officials said the ground test has validated design robustness and performance adequacy for use in the GSLV.