Spaceflight

Preparations are under way for the first ground test of the Indian-designed restartable cryogenic upper-stage engine for the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV), writes Radhakrishna Rao.

The indigenous liquid-oxygen/liquid-hydrogen engine will increase the payload of the GSLV from 2,000kg (4,400lb) to 2,500kg to geosynchronous transfer orbit.

The cryogenic engine, which has logged more than 7,000s of accumulated rig test time, will replace the Russian-supplied upper stage of the 414t, three-stage GSLV.

Integration of the Indian engine with the GSLV is under way and a successful ground test will be followed by a flight of the vehicle, says B N Suresh, director of the Indian Space Research Organisation’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre.