Growing steps of India's progress in space

Growing steps of India's progress in space

GS-3: Space Technology

(UPSC/State PSC)

Important for Prelims:

Gaganyaan, CE20 cryogenic engine, Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3), Crew Module.

Important for Mains:

ISRO's achievements in Science and Technology-Gaganyaan, Cryogenic Engine CE-20, their importance, Conclusion.

02/03/2024

Why in news:

Recently, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has succeeded in developing cryogenic engine CE-20 with indigenous technology in phased preparation of Gaganyaan mission.

  • This can be called a huge achievement for India in the field of space because till now India had to depend on the technology of US, Russia and China for the “cryogenic engine” required in the flight of space missions.
  • In this respect, India was relatively lagging behind these countries in the success of space missions.

What is the story before the development of cryogenic engine CE-20:

  • Till now, Indian scientists have made unique achievements in this field despite many adverse circumstances and international sanctions. Otherwise, there was a time when, under pressure from America, Russia refused to provide cryogenic engines.
  • Actually, India had initially signed a contract to buy engines from Russia. But in the early 1990s, America created obstacles in this citing Missile Technology Control Arrangement (MTCR). The effect of this was that Russia did not provide the technology, but sent six cryogenic engines to India for a fee. Later, with the help of former US President Barack Obama, India also got the membership of MTCR club, but before that, ISRO scientists developed the engine with indigenous technology on the basis of hard work and strong will.

About Cryogenic Engine CE-20:

  • CE20 Cryogenic Engine is an indigenously developed engine by ISRO for Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3).
  • Major modifications to the CE20 engine include, 3D-printed LOX (Liquid Oxygen) and LH2 (Liquid Hydrogen) turbine exhaust casings and thrust control valves (TCVs).
  • The major components of a cryogenic rocket engine are: combustion chamber (thrust chamber), pyrotechnic initiator, fuel injector, fuel cryopump, oxidizer cryopump, gas turbine, cryo valve, regulator, fuel tank and rocket engine nozzle.
  • Fuel: Cryogenic engines use hydrogen and oxygen as fuel, and release water as a by-product.
  • It uses liquid hydrogen at -265 degrees Celsius as fuel and liquid oxygen at -240 degrees Celsius as oxidizer.
  • Efficiency: This engine is capable of making Gaganyan manned mission capable and has been tested with the help of ‘39 hot firings’ in four different conditions.

Features:

  • The addition of the CE-20 engine will increase the LVM3's payload capacity to 450 kg with additional propellant loading, as this engine is capable of generating more thrust, and can lift much more payload mass into space.
  • A cryogenic engine is a rocket engine that uses cryogenic fuel or oxidizer, that is, its fuel or oxidizer (or both) gases are liquefied, and stored at very low temperatures.
  • Due to the use of liquid gases as propellant in it, cryogenic rocket engine is also called liquid propellant rocket engine.
  • Compared to conventional solid and liquid propellant rocket engines, these engines provide more thrust for each kilogram of fuel burned.
  • Currently six countries have developed their own cryogenic engines: US, France/European Space Agency, Russia, China, Japan and India.

Significance of Cryogenic Engine CE-20:

  • This engine will fly into space carrying India's first human space mission “Gaganyaan”.
  • This is very important for the progress of India's future space programs.
  • This releases high energy per unit mass of fuel, making it particularly useful for space missions.
  • This engine will power the upper stage of the LVM-3 launch vehicle.
  • This engine is used in everything from space flights to satellites and missile launches.
  • The biggest achievement of this engine is that its use does not cause any pollution.

Gaganyaan:

  • It is India's proposed first manned flight mission which envisages sending a three-member crew into a 400 km orbit for a period of three days and bringing them back to Earth.
  • The first unmanned Gaganyaan-1 mission is scheduled to be sent to space in mid-2024.
  • Earlier India had announced to send humans to space by 2022, but it could not be implemented in time.
  • Both unmanned and manned vehicles will be sent to space. In the first phase, two unmanned spacecraft will fly into space at different times to test the success of the plan.
  • Targets have been set by the Prime Minister and ISRO scientists to establish India's space station in 2035 and to reach an Indian citizen on the Moon in 2040.
  • Three Indian astronauts will travel in space for three days in this vehicle.
  • ‘Robot-human’ can also be taken along in this mission.
  • Ten thousand crore rupees have been sanctioned for this mission.
  • India has started preparations to install GSLV Mark-3 in Sriharikota with a view to sending Gaganyaan into space. Under this campaign, ISRO has passed the first milestone of 'Crew Escape Module' as a test. After sending it to a height of 2.7 km from the earth, it was separated from the rocket and then with the help of parachute, it was landed in the Bay of Bengal and succeeded in bringing it near the ground.
  • The names of the scientists going on the Gaganyaan mission have also been announced by the Prime Minister. The names of these scientists are: Prashant Nair, Angad Pratap, Ajit Krishnan and Shubhanshu Shukla.
  • After their success, the manned vehicle will travel to its destination.
  • After the success of manned Gaganyaan, India will come in the category of America, Russia and China.

Launch vehicle used: LVM3 or GSLV-MK3

  • The LVM3 rocket, considered to be India's heaviest launch vehicle, was earlier known as GSLV-MK3. This vehicle i.e. launch vehicle has been used by ISRO in Gagan Mission.
  • LVM3 is a three-stage heavy lift launch vehicle developed by ISRO.
  • LVM3 includes:
  • Two solid strap-on motors that help burn solid fuel.
  • A core-stage liquid booster, which burns a combination of liquid fuels.
  • The C25 cryogenic engine helps burn liquid hydrogen with liquid oxygen in the upper stage.
  • The LVM3 rocket has been developed to carry 4 tonne class satellites to Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) and approximately 8 tonne class satellites to Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
  • Its biggest feature is that it can be configured to carry humans into space.
  • LVM-3 rocket will be used for India's first human space flight in late 2024.

Crew Module:

  • It is the Crew Rescue System (CRS) is a component that is capable of sending passengers into space along with the launch vehicle's payload and returning them safely to the ground.
  • The Crew Module is the place where astronauts will be placed in an Earth-like environment in space during the Gaganyaan mission.
  • It has been made in DRDO's Agra-based laboratory ADRDE.

Features:

  • It provides safety cover to astronauts.
  • The 'Crew Module' has the capacity to carry three people into space. The passengers on board can be kept alive for a week by providing food, water and air.
  • This ‘crew module’ can be safely landed on the ground through parachute.

Indian scientists who went to space:

  • If seen, till now, three scientists of Indian or Indian origin have traveled to space.
  • Rakesh Sharma: Rakesh Sharma is the first Indian to go to space. Rakesh Sharma went to space on 3 April 1984 in the Russian spacecraft Soyuz T-11.
  • Kalpana Chawla: Indian-origin Kalpana Chawla had gone to space thrice under the American program. His first flight into space began in 1998
  • Sunita Williams: On December 9, 2006, Sunita Williams went to space for the first time under a NASA mission, becoming the second Indian astronaut of American origin.

Foreign missions that have successfully flown into space:

  • Russia sent Russian astronaut Yuri Gagarin into space on April 12, 1961. Gagarin was the world's first astronaut.
  • America sent Alan Shepard into space on May 5, 1961. He was the first astronaut sent from America.
  • China succeeded in sending Yang Liwei into space on October 15, 2013.

Conclusion:

  • This ambitious success of ISRO is a part of India's space tourism background. This space mission will help in finding a way to send humans to the Moon and Mars only after the success of the Indian Human Mission i.e. Gaganyaan. The possibilities of India establishing colonies in space will also increase in the future and space tourism is also expected to increase in the coming years.

Source: Indian Express, Jansatta

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Mains Question:

  • Discuss the important achievements of Indian space agency ISRO in the light of Gaganyaan.
  • Write a short note on Cryogenic Engine CE-20, Launch Vehicle (LVM3) and Crew Module in the context of Gaganyaan.