CE-20 cryogenic engine

About CE-20 cryogenic engine: 

• It has been designed and developed by the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), a subsidiary of ISRO.
• It will power the Cryogenic Upper Stage of the LVM3 launch vehicle.
• ISRO will use it for its ‘Mission Gaganyaan’ for sending man to space in 2024.
• It is the first Indian cryogenic engine to feature a gas-generator cycle.
• It is one of the most powerful upper-stage cryogenic engines in the world.
• This engine develops a nominal thrust of 186.36 kN in vacuum.

What is a Cryogenic stage?

• The cryogenic stage is technically a very complex system due to its use of propellants at extremely low temperatures and the associated thermal and structural problems.
• It uses liquid fuels (Oxygen liquifies at -183 deg C and Hydrogen at -253 deg C) that are cooled to very low temperatures.
• A Cryogenic rocket stage is more efficient and provides more thrust for every kilogram of propellant it burns compared to solid and earth-storable liquid propellant rocket stages.

Q1) What is Launch Vehicle Mark-3?

LVM3 is configured as a three stage vehicle with two solid strap-on motors (S200), one liquid core stage (L110) and a high thrust cryogenic upper stage (C25). The S200 solid motor is among the largest solid boosters in the world with 204 tonnes of solid propellant. The liquid L110 stage uses a twin liquid engine configuration with 115 tonnes of liquid propellant, while the C25 Cryogenic upper stage is configured with the fully indigenous high thrust cryogenic engine.

Source: CE-20 cryogenic rocket engine tested successfully