ISRO successfully demonstrated the restart capability of its Vikas liquid engine on January 17, 2025, at the ISRO Propulsion Complex in Mahendragiri. This test is a significant milestone in the agency's efforts towards developing reusable launch vehicles, which could enhance the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of space missions.

This test on January 17 marks a milestone in the development of technologies for recovery of stages, leading to reusability in future launch vehicles, according to an ISRO statement.

The stage was designed and developed by Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) during the development of the LVM3 launch vehicle and is powered by twin Vikas engines with a propellant loading of 110 tons, the ISRO said.

During the test, the Vikas engine was fired for 60 seconds, followed by a 120-second shutdown, after which it was restarted for an additional 7 seconds. All operational parameters were reported to be normal throughout the test. This demonstration follows a previous successful restart test conducted in December 2024, which involved a shorter shutdown duration of 42 seconds before a 7-second firing.

The Vikas engine is crucial as it powers the liquid stages of ISRO's launch vehicles. The successful demonstration of its restart capability is expected to lead to further advancements in stage recovery technologies, paving the way for reusability in future missions. ISRO plans to conduct additional tests to optimize the engine's performance under various restart conditions.

In conjunction with this development, ISRO also flagged off the core liquid stage (L110) of its LVM3 launch vehicle, which features twin Vikas engines and is intended for upcoming commercial satellite launches.

Agencies