Gaganyaan Mission: ISRO Achieves Human Rating Of CE20 Cryogenic Engine — Here's All You Need To Know

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has declared the successful human rating of its CE20 cryogenic engine on Wednesday (21 February), a critical component for the upcoming Gaganyaan missions.

The missions aim to demonstrate India's human spaceflight capability by launching astronauts into orbit aboard the LVM3 launch vehicle.

In a social media post on X, ISRO said, “Mission Gaganyaan: ISRO’s CE20 cryogenic engine is now human-rated for Gaganyaan missions. Rigorous testing demonstrates the engine’s mettle. The CE20 engine identified for the first uncrewed flight LVM3 G1 also went through acceptance tests.”

The rigorous testing process, culminating in the seventh vacuum ignition test conducted on 13 February at the High Altitude Test Facility in Mahendragiri, simulating actual flight conditions.

These tests included life demonstrations, endurance evaluations, and performance assessments under various operational scenarios.

ISRO also completed acceptance tests for the flight engine designated for the first unmanned Gaganyaan (G1) mission, scheduled tentatively for the second quarter of 2024.

This engine, with a thrust capability of 19 to 22 tonnes and specific impulse of 442.5 seconds, will power the upper stage of the LVM3 vehicle.

The Gaganyaan project aims to demonstrate India's human spaceflight capabilities by launching a crew of three members into a 400 km orbit for a three-day mission, culminating in a safe return to Earth.

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