Mahendragiri, November 20: India’s space agency has marked a major technological breakthrough by successfully testing a novel engine start-up method that could revolutionize future satellite deployment missions and enhance payload capacities.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) demonstrated what it claims may be the world’s first boot-strap ignition of a gas-generator cycle cryogenic rocket engine at its High-Altitude Test facility in Tamil Nadu’s Mahendragiri on November 7.
The 10-second trial involved the CE20 cryogenic engine the powerhouse behind the upper stage of India’s heavy-lift Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3). Unlike conventional starts that require stored gas systems, this test showed the engine achieving full operational thrust independently, building up power using only its own propellants.
Solving a Critical Payload Problem
The innovation addresses a significant limitation in current rocket design. Each time engineers want to restart the CE20 engine during flight, they must carry additional pressurized gas bottles and supporting hardware. This extra equipment eats into the rocket’s payload capacity the weight available for satellites and cargo.
“For missions requiring multiple orbit insertions, these repeated starts become prohibitively expensive in terms of payload mass,” explained observers familiar with the development.
The CE20 currently operates reliably within a thrust range of 19 to 22 tonnes and has already received qualification for India’s upcoming Gaganyaan human spaceflight program.
How the Boot-Strap Method Works
During the landmark test, technicians employed specialized multi-element igniters in both the main thrust chamber and the gas generator. The sequence began with thrust chamber ignition under tank head conditions using only the natural pressure from the propellant tanks.
The gas generator then ignited and spun up the turbopumps without any external assistance. The engine progressively ramped up to steady-state operation entirely on its own hence the term “boot-strap.”
Strategic Implications
This capability opens new possibilities for India’s space program, particularly for missions requiring satellites to be deployed in multiple orbits during a single flight. Such flexibility is increasingly valuable for commercial launch services and complex space missions.
The achievement also positions ISRO among an elite group of space agencies capable of advanced engine restart technologies, though the boot-strap method for gas-generator cycle cryogenic engines appears to be unprecedented globally.
Future LVM3 missions incorporating this technology could potentially carry heavier payloads or undertake more complex orbital maneuvers without the weight penalty of multiple start-up systems.
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