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ISRO is making steady progress towards the debut launch in April 2014 of its GSLV Mk-3 launcher, which will be capable of inserting a 10 ton spacecraft in low earth orbit.
It recently tested the separation system of the S200 strap on motors of the launchers from the core vehicle.
The first stage of the GLSV Mk-3 consists of two 200 ton, S200 solid rocket motors, strapped around the 110 ton restartable core liquid propellant second stage (L-110) using two Vikas engines.
The separation system consists of two joints viz fore end joint and aft end joint, which attaches the L110 stage of the core with S200 motors. The thrust developed by the S200 motors are transferred to the core vehicle through the fore end joint while the aft joint takes care of the lateral loads.
The S200 separation system is used to dump the two spent S200 motors at about 145 seconds after take off allowing the second stage to kick in.
The third stage of the GSLV Mk-3 would be an ISRO developed cryogenic rocket motor with a propellant loading of 25 ton (C-25).
The first flight of the Mk-3 will be a sub-orbital flight test, sans the cryogenic third stage.
ISRO Conducts Functional Qualification Test of GSLV Mk-3 S200 Separation System