Sriharikota:Cryogenic technology engine GSLV-D3(Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) ready for launch at Sriharikota on Friday April 15

Preparations for the next flight Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-D3) carrying GSAT-4 is in advanced stage on 15 Feb 2010. The GSLV-D3 is expected to use indigenous cryogenic engine and will place the GSAT-4 in geosynchronous transfer orbit.Now Days , The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is getting ready for the launch of its new Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-D3) scheduled for 4.27 pm on April 15. The rocket is powered for the first time with an indigenously developed cryogenic engine. The GSLV-D3 is a development test for ISRO’s GSLV Mk-2 launcher that replaces the Russian supplied cryogenic engine third stage with an Indian developed cryogenic engine stage.

“Crucial mission”

“The vehicle has been assembled and is ready for the launch,” Mission Director G. Ravindranath told journalists at the spaceport on Friday. He called it “a crucial mission because we are flying our own cryogenic stage for the first time in this flight.” It was “the most reviewed vehicle” and the result of “our efforts of the last 19 years. We started in 1991 and we have reached this stage despite technology denials.”

develop the cryogenic technology because it had to develop special materials(At very low temperatures of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, metals become brittle. The ISRO, therefore, had to develop new alloys, new welding techniques and new types of lubricants).

The whole flight will last for 1,022 seconds while the cryogenic engine will be required to run for 720 seconds. After the whole flight time cryogenic engine will catapult the communication satellite GSAT-4 into the orbit.

The Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) in Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu was behind the development of the cryogenic stage for the mission.  The last five flights of the GSLV had been powered by Russian built cryogenic engines.

ISRO started developing the cryogenic engine development programme in 1996 as the country was under a technology .After scratch of the U.S. pressured Russia in April 1992 and July 1993 into agreeing not to sell cryogenic technology to India. In January 1991, India and the erstwhile Soviet Union had reached an agreement, under which the Soviet space agency, Glavkosmos, would sell cryogenic stages and transfer the cryogenic technology to India.
Under U.S. pressure, Russia in July 1993 went back on its agreement to transfer the cryogenic technology. In lieu of the technology, it agreed to sell two additional cryogenic stages to India. The last five flights of the GSLV from Sriharikota were powered by the Russian cryogenic stages. A cryogenic stage includes the engine, propellant tanks, motor casing and wiring.The cryogenic engine is deployed for the first time for the launching the GSLV-D3 and if the launch is successful then India will join the five countries to have developed engines for satellite launch vehicles. The only countries to have developed such an engine on their own are US, France, Japan, Russia and China.