ISRO Successfully Tests Throttleable Vikas Engine, To Enable Booster Stage Recovery In Space Launch Vehicles

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has achieved a major milestone with the successful testing of its throttleable Vikas engine.

The liqui fuelled Vikas engine, with a nominal thrust of 80 tonnes, has been the workhorse engine powering the second stages of PSLV and GSLV, liquid strapons of GSLV, and the core liquid stage of LVM3.

Liquid engines that support throttling of the engine thrust facilitate booster stage recovery in launch vehicles, the ISRO said in a statement.

The recent test, which took place in the end of January, demonstrated the Vikas engine's ability to throttle its thrust level to enable the recovery of booster stages in future launch vehicles. This is a significant development in the field of space exploration and will allow for more cost-effective and sustainable launches.

The throttleable Vikas engine was tested for a duration of 43 seconds and achieved a targeted 67 per cent thrust level.

"In order to enable booster stage recovery in future launch vehicle configurations, the first Throttling demonstration hot test of the Vikas engine was successfully accomplished on January 30, 2023 for a targeted 67 per cent thrust level throttling for a duration of 43 seconds," the ISRO said.

"Throttling of the engine was achieved by a closed loop thrust regulation system and the engine had been successfully throttled from the chamber pressure of 58.5 bar in steps of 50 bar, 45 bar & 40 bar, with dwelling at each pressure level for 7 seconds," it added.

The Vikas engine was also successfully throttled down to 45 per cent for the last 3 seconds before shut down.

"The results of the first hot test of Throttleable Vikas Engine indicate stable combustion and subsystem performed in accordance with the prediction", the Indian space agency said.

The overall performance of engine sub-systems, control systems and test facility systems were as expected, it added.