08-Feb-2025 04:10 PM
1209
Chennai, Feb 8 (Reporter) As part of preparations for inflight re-ignition, the Vacuum
ignition trial of Cryogenic engine with Multi-element Igniter was conducted
successfully in LVM-3 launch vehicle, which would be used for the maiden human
flight mission Gaganyaan.
ISRO said on Saturday that it successfully carried out the ignition trial of the indigenous
CE20 cryogenic engine powering the upper stage of LVM3, with a Multi-element igniter
under vacuum conditions, which simulates the engine ignition in the vacuum condition
of space.
This test was carried out in the High Altitude Test Facility at ISRO Propulsion Complex
at Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu on Friday.
During this test, the ignition of the engine Thrust Chamber was carried out with a multi-
element igniter in vacuum, under the tank pressure conditions that are expected to prevail
at the time of restarting the cryogenic engine in flight.
The performance of the engine and the facility during the test was normal and as expected.
Restarting a cryogenic engine is inherently complex and as part of the studies related to the
restart operation, ISRO is exploring the initiation of turbopumps in bootstrap mode rather than
the stored gas system.
In this approach, both the thrust chamber and gas generator are expected to re-ignite under
tank head conditions.
ISRO has outlined a series of tests aimed at engine starts in bootstrap mode towards enhancing
the capability for multiple cryogenic engine restarts during flight.
Previously, the engine ignition trial using multi-element igniter was carried out under ground
conditions outside the vacuum chamber.
The engine is already qualified to operate for thrust levels ranging from 19t to 22t in flight with
single start and is qualified for Gaganyaan mission.
The engine was developed by Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre of ISRO...////...