The flight acceptance hot test of Cryogenic engine for Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F11) flight was successfully conducted on 27th August 2018 at the ISRO Propulsion Complex at Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu. The hot test was carried out for a planned duration of 200 seconds during which the engine was operated in the nominal and 13% uprated thrust regimes. All the propulsion parameters during the test were found satisfactory and closely matched with predictions. For the first time, indigenously developed copper alloy is used in this engine.

The cryogenic engine will be further integrated with the propellant tanks, stage structures and associated fluid lines to realise the fully integrated flight cryogenic stage.

About The CE-20 High Thrust Cryogenic Upper Stage

The high thrust cryogenic engine is designed and realised by Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) with the support of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), both the centres are in Kerala.

This high thrust cryogenic engine produces a nominal thrust of 196.5 kN in vacuum with a specific impulse of 434 seconds. The engine works on “Gas Generator Cycle” which has flexibility for independent development of each sub-system before the integrated engine test, thus minimising uncertainty in the final developmental phase and reducing development time. This engine generates nearly 2 MW power as compared to 1 MW generated by the engine of Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS) engine of GSLV. The CE-20 is one of the most powerful cryogenic engines of upper stages in the world.

ISRO