ISRO’s reputation increasing in international satellite launch market after GSLV launch

[thesolar65]

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has completed another milestone by successfully lifting the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle GSLV-F05 rocket from Sriharikota on September 8. Scientists at the Indian space agency used indigenous cryogenic upper stage engine to successfully locate the heavy weather satellite INSAT-3DR weighing 2800 kg into the orbit. The satellite will enhance the accuracy of weather prediction giving the necessary edge in international space commerce in future.

The launch was planned to initiate at 4:10PM but due to some technical issues it got delayed by 40 minutes. However, everything went smooth and the rocket was blasted from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, at 4:50PM.

The successful launch of over two-tonne satellite has put India in the elite league of nations able to lift up such heavy satellites in the geostationary orbit. Only five other nations — US, Russia, France, Japan and China, have the cryogenic engine technology to lift such heavy satellites.

While talking of the dimensions, the GSLV-F05 rocket is 161-fot-tall. After few failures during the initial development phases, the rocket has had three consecutive successful flights including the one on Thursday. A solid-fueled first stage motor and four strap-on Vikas engines consuming a mixture of liquid hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide powered the initial two minutes of the ascent. It took 17 minutes for the GSLV with cryogenic engine to release the satellite into the planned orbit of Earth.

The successful launch has given India another rocket after PSLV which India’s most successful rocket. However, GSLV will be used in future to launch heavyweight satellites.

Apparently, the successful launch of India’s weather observatory has increased the reputation of Indian space agency ISRO in the international satellite launch market worth $300 billion. After the success of missions like Mangalyaan that won the Space Pioneer award 2015 and got featured in Times Magazine, and Chandrayaan, foreign agencies have started seeking help of ISRO for their satellite launches. ISRO has launched 51 foreign satellites till date.

Moreover, two more GSLV-MkII missions will be completed this year. In addition, ISRO is developing C-25 engine which will twice powerful than the current version having the capability to lift satellite weighing over 4,000kg.

http://tecake.in/news/space/isro-su...r-using-gslv-f05-rocket-whats-next-23143.html

 

[livingdead]

i saw no reporting of gslv launch on bbc... they usually report big space related news from india.. so strange

 

[Providence]

Talk when the GTO capacity reaches 8000KG !

 

[livingdead]

Talk when the GTO capacity reaches 8000KG !

is not there any commercial market for 2800kg launch?

 

[The BrOkEn HeArT]

More to come. I hope govt will increase more budget for ISRO. They deserve more appreciation.

 

[Imran Khan]

future is for asia if we just stop fighting each other and work together it can be reached early

 

[Providence]

is not there any commercial market for 2800kg launch?

Of course there is. Didn't contradict the claim about reputation of isro increasing but coming off as a viable option would entail isro pushing it's GTO capacity to upwards of 5000 kg at least.

~4T communication sats are where the biggest margins lie.

 

[livingdead]

Of course there is. Didn't contradict the claim about reputation of isro increasing but coming off as a viable option would entail isro pushing it's GTO capacity to upwards of 5000 kg at least.

~4T communication sats are where the biggest margins lie.

isro is long way from getting there.. i guess they can still make money from contracts that other orgs think too small to bother about...

 

[Mufflerman]

isro is long way from getting there.. i guess they can still make money from contracts that other orgs think too small to bother about...

Mk3 launch with cryo is round the corner. Not a long way off.

 

[livingdead]

Mk3 launch with cryo is round the corner. Not a long way off.

whats going to be the capacity?

 

[thesolar65]

whats going to be the capacity?

8000Kg for LEO and 4000Kg for GTO.

 

[indo]

8000Kg for LEO and 4000Kg for GTO.

Which will be increased upto 5000 kg for GTO with further launches.

Apart from that the test for semi-cryogenic engine is also around the corner, probably first half of next year. If everything goes well, by 2018 we would have a launch vehicle capable of launching about 10000 kg in GTO.

But we need to ramp up the production of the launchers and quicky complete the development of 3rd launch pad. We really need to increase the number of launches per year.

 

[faithfulguy]

Which will be increased upto 5000 kg for GTO with further launches.

Apart from that the test for semi-cryogenic engine is also around the corner, probably first half of next year. If everything goes well, by 2018 we would have a launch vehicle capable of launching about 10000 kg in GTO.

But we need to ramp up the production of the launchers and quicky complete the development of 3rd launch pad. We really need to increase the number of launches per year.

First, India need to get to 5000 Th GTO. Once it get there, India will have a true medium weight launch system. Further improvement on MKIII will help India get there.

As for a real heavy weight launch vehicle, India do not even have a plan to create one. I just don't see India create a delta IV heavy class of launch vehicle for another 20-30 years as it still trying to master the medium weight class. But one step at a time. No one will make fun of India for being behind or trying. But people will make fun if India boasts but fail to deliver or self aggrandizing.

 

[indo]

First, India need to get to 5000 Th GTO. Once it get there, India will have a true medium weight launch system. Further improvement on MKIII will help India get there.

As for a real heavy weight launch vehicle, India do not even have a plan to create one. I just don't see India create a delta IV heavy class of launch vehicle for another 20-30 years as it still trying to master the medium weight class. But one step at a time. No one will make fun of India for being behind or trying. But people will make fun if India boasts but fail to deliver or self aggrandizing.

I am not exaggerating.
The gslv mk3 / LVM 3 is going to be tested this december. Acounting for the delay , it will most probably take place in Jan 2017 at most.
If this test goes well, then a semi-cryogenic engine will be tested the same year on gslv mk3. The sce 200 is almost ready, even if you account for the delay at most by next to next year i.e 2018 will have the capability to launch 10000 kg in gto using this engine.

I am not saying we will have missions from 2018 to launch 10 ton satellites to GTO or we will have multitutes of gslv mk3 launches from 2018, but we will have the tech ready just incase.
The SCE 200 engine is rated for 10 Ton in GTO.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCE-200

Of course it will take more time to make more frequent GSLV lauches since we don't mass produce it yet. That is why I wrote we need to speed up the manufacturing of these launchers and increase launches ( PSLV and GSLV ) per year.
Ofcourse this all depends upon successful launch of gslv mk 3 and sce 200 engine.

BTW India does have a plan to create something like Delta V , it will be called HLV version of ULV. But it will take time.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_Launch_Vehicle

We are still a couple of decades behind USA though.

@PARIKRAMA @Nilgiri Please correct me if I am wrong.

 

[SR-91]

isro is long way from getting there.. i guess they can still make money from contracts that other orgs think too small to bother about...

Of course there is. Didn't contradict the claim about reputation of isro increasing but coming off as a viable option would entail isro pushing it's GTO capacity to upwards of 5000 kg at least.

~4T communication sats are where the biggest margins lie.

isro is long way from getting there.. i guess they can still make money from contracts that other orgs think too small to bother about...

We are not that far off. 1st test of C-25 was done back in Dec 2014 where they tested crew module.
It is on track to launch another test flight in Dec 2016.

Although payload for this is 4000kg, IMO, maybe it can be increased by placing 2 more strap-on-motors.

Jul 20, 2015
Indigenously Developed High Thrust Cryogenic Rocket C-25 Engine Successfully Ground Tested for a duration for 800 seconds

India’s first indigenously designed and developed High Thrust cryogenic rocket engine generating a nominal thrust of 19 tonnes was successfully endurance hot tested for a duration of 800 seconds on July 16, 2015 at ISRO Propulsion Complex, Mahendragiri. This duration is approximately 25% more than the engine burn duration in flight. The engine will be used for powering the Cryogenic stage (C25), the upper stage of the next generation GSLV Mk-III launch vehicle of ISRO, capable of launching four tonne class satellites.

This cryogenic engine of C25 Stage operates on Gas Generator Cycle using extremely low temperature propellants – Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) at 20 Kelvin (-253 deg C) and Liquid Oxygen (LOX) at 80K (-193 deg C). The various subsystems of the engine are – regeneratively cooled Thrust Chamber, Gas Generator, LOX and LH2 high speed turbopump systems, flow control components, close loop mixture ratio control system, Pyrogen igniters, fluid systems, etc. The turbopump system rotates at a speed of 36,000 rpm with a power level of 2 MW.

This high performance cryogenic engine was conceived, configured and realised by Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), the lead centre of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) responsible for developing liquid propulsion systems for Indian Space Programme. The Engine design was totally in-house effort with experts from different fields like fluid dynamics, combustion, thermal, structural, metallurgy, fabrication, rotor dynamics, control components, etc., working together. The fabrication of major subsystems of the engine was carried out through Indian Industries. Assembly and Integration of the engine and Testing were carried out in ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), a unit of ISRO.

LPSC has also developed a cryogenic upper stage of 12.5 tonne propellant loading and successfully flight tested it in GSLV Mk-II vehicle on January 05, 2014. Compared to this stage, the C25 stage has a higher propellant loading (27 tonnes versus 12.5 tonnes) and higher engine thrust (19 tonne versus 7.5 tonne).

The recent successful endurance hot test of the first high thrust cryogenic engine is the tenth test in a series of tests planned and executed as part of the development of the engine employing complex cryogenic technology. The performance of the engine closely matches with the pre-test prediction made using the in-house developed cryogenic engine mathematical modelling and simulation software.

Prior to engine realisation, a series of subsystem level tests were carried out to independently evaluate the design of major subsystems like the turbopumps, thrust chamber, gas generator, flow control components, etc. Based on the confidence gained, the integrated engine testing was initiated.

As part of the C25 Stage development, further tests are planned in High Altitude conditions and in Stage configuration, prior to the flight stage realisation.

Mastering this complex, high performance cryogenic propulsion technology will go a long way in building self reliance for the Indian Space Programme.