Dhawan II Engine:
A private space vehicle company Skyroot Aerospace test-fired its 3D-printed Dhawan II engine.
- Dhawan II engine is a 3D-printed cryogenic engine developed by the Skyroot Aerospace for its heavier vehicle, the Vikram II rocket.
- It uses a 3D-printed torch igniter and bellows actuated cryo-injection valve with a quick response time.
- It utilises two high-performance rocket propellants, liquid natural gas (LNG) and liquid oxygen (LoX), which require cryogenic temperatures (below -150° Celsius) for storage and operation.
- A cryogenic upper stage enhances the payload-carrying capacity of a rocket.
- The cryogenic engine series is named in honour of Dr Satish Dhawan, an Indian rocket scientist.
- 3D printing or additive manufacturing is a process of making three-dimensional solid objects from a digital file.