ISRO to launch indigenous cryogenic engine this year

MUMBAI: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said it will launch Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) with a home-grown cryogenic engine by this year-end.

"Work is in an advanced stage. May be soon we will have a hot test and after that we will take a decision.Most probably, the launch will take place by the end of this year," ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair told reporters.

The GSLV can send satellites into orbits nearly 36,000 km above the earth and the indigenous cryogenic engine will boost payload capability from the present 2,000 kg to 2,500 kg.

The cryogenic engine for the indigenous upper stage of GSLV has been successfully qualified, Nair said adding the launch will replace the Russian cryogenic engines that India currently uses for launches.

About GSLV Mk III, Nair said the project was on schedule and the launch will take place by 2008.   GSLV-Mk III will have a capability to launch a four-tonne satellite into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GOT).

It is a three-stage vehicle with a 110-tonne core liquid propellant stage and a strap-on stage with two solid propellant motors, each with 200-tonne propellant. The upper stage will be a cryogenic with a propellant loading of two tonnes.