Agency overview | |
---|---|
Jurisdiction | Department of Space |
Headquarters | Mahendragiri, Tirunelveli district 8°16′57″N77°33′57″E / 8.2825479°N 77.5658637°E |
Employees | 600+ |
Annual budget | See the budget of ISRO |
Agency executive |
|
Parent agency | ISRO |
Website | www |
The ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), located at Mahendragiri of Tamil Nadu, is an Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) centre involved in testing, assembling, and integrating propulsion systems and stages that are developed at ISRO's Liquid Propulsion Systems Centres. Formerly, IPRC was known as LPSC, Mahendragiri, functioning under LPSC. It was elevated as an independent centre and renamed as IPRC with effect from 1 February 2014. [2] [3]
The complex is situated near Panagudi in Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu. [4]
It is one of the ISRO centres that could be called as the "Jet Propulsion Laboratory of India" as all liquid, cryogenic and semicryogenic stage and engine related tests of ISRO's launch vehicles and satellites are carried out here. [5]
Following activities are currently carried out at IPRC: [2]
The Principle Test Stand is the oldest facility at IPRC Mahendragiri and was designed to test the Vikas Engine and other hypergolic engines. It consists of two sections, one for engine testing and the other for full stage integrated tests, ensuring accurate evaluation of various performance characteristics and seamless integration of critical components.
The CMEST was set up for testing ISRO's cryogenic engines, specifically the CE-7.5 and CE-20.
The Semi-cryogenic Integrated Engine Test Complex (SIET) is a facility handling large flow of propellants. It is 51 metres tall and has 30 metres flame deflector depth. [7] It was originally designed for testing the SCE-200 Semi-Cryogenic kerolox engine. This engine is a crucial component of the LVM3 launch vehicle future upgrade, replacing the pair of Vikas engines on its first stage. The SIET was constructed with the aim of conducting tests on the SCE-200 engine, and it was completed by the end of 2022.
The facility consists of a visitors center, which is connected to the Test Control Center (TCC), allowing visitors to observe and learn about the testing procedures. The TCC is a critical element of the complex as it enables engineers and technicians to monitor the tests and make real-time adjustments to ensure their success.
On May 10, 2023, a significant milestone was achieved when the SCE-200 hot section was successfully tested on the stand. This marked a significant achievement in the development of the engine and the progress towards its integration into various launch vehicles.
The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) is an expendable medium-lift launch vehicle designed and operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It was developed to allow India to launch its Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites into Sun-synchronous orbits, a service that was, until the advent of the PSLV in 1993, only commercially available from Russia. PSLV can also launch small size satellites into Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO).
Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) is a class of expendable launch systems operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). GSLV has been used in fifteen launches since 2001.
The Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC),Thiruvananthapuram is a research and development centre functioning under Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It has two units located at Valiamala, in Thiruvananthapuram of Kerala, and Bengaluru of Karnataka. LPSC is augmented by ISRO Propulsion Complex at Mahendragiri of Tamil Nadu.
The Launch Vehicle Mark-3 or LVM3 is a three-stage medium-lift launch vehicle developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Primarily designed to launch communication satellites into geostationary orbit, it is also due to launch crewed missions under the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme. LVM3 has a higher payload capacity than its predecessor, GSLV.
GSAT-4, also known as HealthSat, was an experimental communication and navigation satellite launched in April 2010 by the Indian Space Research Organisation on the maiden flight of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk.II rocket. It failed to reach orbit after the rocket's third stage malfunctioned. The third stage was the first Indian-built cryogenic-fuelled upper stage, and was making its first flight. The ISRO suspects that the failure was caused by the third stage not igniting.
Mahendragiri is the name of a hill in Tirunelveli District, South Tamil Nadu. The hill is located in Tirunelveli District and is part of the southern range of the Western Ghats, with an elevation of 1,645.2 metres (5,398 ft).
Gaganyaan is an Indian crewed orbital spacecraft intended to be the formative spacecraft of the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme. The spacecraft is being designed to carry three people, and a planned upgraded version will be equipped with rendezvous and docking capabilities. In its maiden crewed mission, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)'s largely autonomous 5.3-metric ton capsule will orbit the Earth at 400 km altitude for up to seven days with a two- or three-person crew on board. The first crewed mission was originally planned to be launched on ISRO's HLVM3 rocket in December 2021. As of October 2023, it is expected to be launched by 2025.
The Vikas is a family of hypergolic liquid fuelled rocket engines conceptualized and designed by the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre in the 1970s. The design was based on the licensed version of the Viking engine with the chemical pressurisation system. The early production Vikas engines used some imported French components which were later replaced by domestically produced equivalents. It is used in the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) and LVM3 for space launch use.
The CE-20 is a cryogenic rocket engine developed by the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), a subsidiary of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It has been developed to power the upper stage of the LVM3. It is the first Indian cryogenic engine to feature a gas-generator cycle. The high thrust cryogenic engine is the most powerful upper stage cryogenic engine in operational service.
The CE-7.5 is a cryogenic rocket engine developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation to power the upper stage of its GSLV Mk-2 launch vehicle. The engine was developed as a part of the Cryogenic Upper Stage Project (CUSP). It replaced the KVD-1 (RD-56) Russian cryogenic engine that powered the upper stage of GSLV Mk-1.
Kerala Hitech Industries Limited (KELTEC) was an Indian aerospace company in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Its product-mix included systems required for the launch vehicles, satellite and non-rotating systems of turbojet aircraft engines. KELTEC was acquired by BrahMos Aerospace and rebranded as Brahmos Aerospace Trivandrum Ltd (BATL) in 2007.
Dr. A. E. Muthunayagam is a leading space scientist in the Indian Space Research Organisation and the chief architect of rocket propulsion in India. He was responsible for the creation of Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre. For his significant contributions to the development of Propulsion Technology in India, he is known as the father of propulsion technology in India's space program. He chose to return to India from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for the development of propulsion technology in the Indian Space Research Organisation. He established the Test Stands and Assembly and Integration Facilities in Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, Mahendragiri for testing liquid stages of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle and the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle. He is the founder director of Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre] and held the position from 30 November 1985 to 14 April 1994. He held the secretary position in the Department of Ocean Development. He worked as an executive vice-president in Kerala State Council for Science Technology and Environment. He worked as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai from 2005 to 2008. He was appointed under Section 11 of the IIT Act of 1961, which lays down the composition of the Board of Governors for each of the seven Indian Institutes of Technology across India
GSAT-14 is an Indian communications satellite launched in January 2014. It replaced the GSAT-3 satellite, which was launched in 2004. GSAT-14 was launched by a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk.II, which incorporated an Indian-built cryogenic engine on the third stage.
M. C. Dathan is an Indian space scientist and former director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC). The Government of India honoured him, in 2014, by awarding him the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, for his contributions to the fields of science and technology. In May 2016, the Government of Kerala appointed MC Dathan as the scientific advisor to chief minister.
The SCE-200 is a 2 MN thrust class liquid rocket engine, being developed to power Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) existing LVM3 and upcoming heavy and super heavy-lift launch vehicles. It is being developed by the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) of ISRO, and is expected to have first flight in 2020s.
GSAT-6A was a communication satellite launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) It featured a 6-metre (20 ft) unfurlable S-band antenna similar to the one used on GSAT-6. Around 17 minutes after lift-off, the three stage GSLV Mk.II rocket flying on GSLV F08 mission successfully injected the satellite into a geosynchronous transfer orbit. Due to power failure during its orbit raising burns the communication was lost with GSAT-6A before it could reach its final circular geostationary orbit (GSO).
The GSLV F12 is the 15th flight of the GSLV and the 9th flight of Mk2 variant using indigenous Cryogenic engine.
There are several Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) facilities all over India. ISRO headquarters in Bangalore provides overall direction for the organization. There are more than twenty facilities which support ISRO.
The Next Generation Launch Vehicle or NGLV or "Soorya" is a three-stage partially reusable rocket, currently under development by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). This vehicle is designed to replace currently operational systems like PSLV, GSLV and LVM3.
{{cite web}}
: |first=
has generic name (help)