IIT Kanpur Develop India’s First Hypersonic Test Facility 'Jigarthanda'

Defense News ,India :- IIT Kanpur has accomplished a significant feat by creating and testing India’s inaugural Hypervelocity Expansion Tunnel Test Facility. This accomplishment places India among the select few nations possessing advanced hypersonic testing capabilities.

The facility, known as S2 or 'Jigarthanda,' is situated at IIT-Kanpur’s Hypersonic Experimental Aerodynamics Laboratory. It spans 24 meters and has the capability to simulate flight speeds ranging from 3 to 10 kilometers per second. This simulation mimics hypersonic conditions faced by vehicles during atmospheric entry, asteroid entry, scramjet flights, and ballistic missiles.

S2's successful development is a result of three years of indigenous design and development, with financial support from the Aeronautical Research and Development Board (ARDB), the Department of Science and Technology (DST), and IIT-Kanpur. This facility will play a crucial role in supporting ongoing projects of ISRO and DRDO, such as Gaganyaan, RLV, and hypersonic cruise missiles.

Professor S. Ganesh, Director of IIT-Kanpur, expressed the historical significance of this achievement, stating that S2 will empower India's space and defense organizations with domestic hypersonic testing capabilities for critical projects and missions.

Professor Mohammed Ibrahim Sugarno, Associate Professor at the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Centre for Lasers & Photonics at IIT-Kanpur, highlighted the challenges faced during the development of S2, particularly in perfecting the 'free piston driver' system. Despite the difficulties, the team overcame these challenges and proudly designed, built, and tested this unique facility, solidifying India's position in the global hypersonic research community.

Professor GM Kamath, Head of the Department of Aerospace Engineering at IIT-Kanpur, emphasized the significance of S2 in advancing research horizons and inspiring a new generation of aerospace enthusiasts. Being the first in India to develop such a facility sets a new benchmark for hypervelocity research in the country and beyond.