CE-20 Cryogenic Rocket Engine : Successfully Tested For Mission Gaganyaan

CE-20 Cryogenic Rocket Engine : Successfully Tested For Mission Gaganyaan

Indian Space Research Organisation’s Liquid Propulsion Research Centre (IPRC) in Mahendragiri has successfully tested the cryogenic rocket engine to be used in its ‘Mission Gaganyaan’.

• CE-20 cryogenic engine has been designed and developed by the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), a subsidiary of ISRO.
• It will power the Cryogenic Upper Stage of the LVM3launch vehicle.
• ISRO will use it for its ‘Mission Gaganyaan’ for sending man to space in 2024.
• It is the first Indian cryogenic engine to feature a gas-generator cycle.
• It is one of the most powerful upper-stage cryogenic engines in the world.
• This engine develops a nominal thrust of 186.36 kN in vacuum.
• The cryogenic stage is technically a very complex system due to its use of propellants at extremely low temperatures and the associated thermal and structural problems.
• It uses liquid fuels (Oxygen liquifies at -183 deg C and Hydrogen at -253 deg C) that are cooled to very low temperatures.
• A Cryogenic rocket stage is more efficient and provides more thrust for every kilogram of propellant it burns compared to solid and earth-storable liquid propellant rocket stages.