Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has accomplished a major milestone in the human rating of its CE20 cryogenic engine with completion of the final round of ground qualification tests.
- The final test was carried out on February 13. It was the 7th in a series of vacuum ignition tests carried out at the High Altitude Test Facility at ISRO Propulsion Complex, Mahendragiri, to simulate ight conditions.
- The CE20 will power the cryogenic stage of the human-rated LVM3 launch vehicle for Gaganyaan missions.
- Human-rating refers to rating a system that is cap- able of safely transporting humans.
- Gaganyaan is India’s proposed first human flight mission that envisions sending a three-membered crew into an orbit of 400km for a period of three days and bringing them back to Earth.
- The first unmanned Gaganyaan – 1 mission is scheduled sometime in mid-2024.
