The CE20 engine stands as a groundbreaking achievement, being the first cryogenic engine developed indigenously to power the upper stage (C25) of the LVM3 rocket. Originally qualified to operate at a thrust level of 19 tonnes, this engine has demonstrated its prowess in six consecutive LVM3 missions, including notable endeavors like Chandrayaan-2, Chandrayaan-3, and two commercial OneWeb missions. To enhance the payload capability of the LVM3, the upper cryogenic stage has been reconfigured into the C32 stage, boasting enhanced propellant loading. This modification enables the engine to operate at an increased thrust level of 22 tonnes. However, to meet this higher thrust requirement, the engine must undergo re-qualification through a series of ground hot tests. The current focus is on the twelfth hardware iteration of the CE20 engine, designated as the E13 engine, which is pivotal for the 22-tonne thrust level qualification program. Notably, after successfully completing the engine tuning hot test (E13 HT-01) for a duration of 50 seconds, the second long-duration hot test (E13 HT-02) achieved success with a duration of 720 seconds on August 30, 2023. Subsequently, the third hot test (E13 HT-03) was also accomplished, lasting 670 seconds with a thrust of 22 tonnes on September 22, 2023. The culmination of the E13 HT-03 marked the completion of the Gaganyaan qualification for the CE20 engine. The fourth hot test (E13 HT-04), designed to demonstrate off-nominal operation of the engine (22t+5%PC & -5%MR), was conducted successfully for a duration of 125 seconds on October 9, 2023, at the MET facility, IPRC, Mahendragiri. During this test, both the engine and facility performed normally, achieving the required engine performance parameters as predicted. With this accomplishment, the CE20 engine is now officially qualified for operating at the 22-tonne thrust level in flight.
Read More → Posted on 2021-06-30 18:30:00
Saab Unveils A3-01 Unmanned Collaborative Combat Aircraft Concept
U.S. Navy Awards Zone 5 $65 Million Contract for AGM-188 Rusty Dagger Maritime Strike Variant
Ukraine Adds Alexa Spatium, Its First Domestically Built Jet-Powered Drone Interceptor
Tiberius Aerospace’s Invictus Enters Formal Engineering Phase – Designed for Mach 3 and 200 km Range
U.S. Forces Destroyed $23.6 Million MQ-9A Reaper After Hard Landing in Middle East
U.S. Navy Awards $42.9 Million Contract to General Atomics for EMALS and AAG Spare Parts After Trump Orders Return to Steam Catapults
Turkey Seeks Interpol Red Notices for Netanyahu and Another Israeli Over Global Sumud Flotilla Case
U.S. Approves $4.5 Billion Arms Deal With Qatar for KC-46A Refueling Aircraft
Russia Receives North Korean KN-30 Ballistic Missiles as Moscow Expands Its Missile Arsenal
USS Abraham Lincoln Faces Extended Deployment and Supply Challenges Linked to Iranian Attacks on Bahrain Base
Russia Develops 'Martian' Camera-Based Navigation Independent of GPS and Radio Signals for Drones
Russia Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ Over British Drones Used by Ukraine in Strikes on Russian Territory
U.S. President Donald Trump Demands $10 Billion Annually for Troop Presence in South Korea
China Successfully Launches Zhuque-3 Rocket and Recovers Booster on Land After Orbital Launch
U.S. Space Force Activates 1stElectromagnetic Warfare Squadron Equipped With Meadowlands and Bounty Hunter
Japan Plans Submarine-Launched Hypersonic Missile Development in Fiscal 2027 Budget