ISRO conducts liquid core test of GSLV-Mk III launch vehicle in Tamil Nadu

By Jaikumar, Tirunelveli (Tamil Nadu), March 6 : The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducted the static test of its L110 liquid core stage of the GSLV Mk III (Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle mark III) launch vehicle for 150 seconds here on Saturday.

The testing was done at the Liquid Propulsion System Centre''s test facility at Mahendragiri of the Thirnelveli district in the state.

Though the test was originally targeted for 200 seconds, it was stopped at 150 seconds since a deviation in one of the parameters was observed.

Around 500 parameters have been tested so far and will be monitored till the next stage of testing.

"The GSLV Mk III is designed to take a four tonne Communication satellite into an orbit of 36,000 km by 200 km. This is going to enhance our ability to put such satellites. Currently its about 2.2 tonne, that''s almost doubling the capability," said K Radhakrishnan, ISRO chairman.

"And again we will conduct a test on this for 200 seconds and more. This is part of the development. More than 500 parameters are being monitored like pressure, temperature and floor rate. All these are going to be analysed in the coming days and we expect that this would be used in development and realization of the liquid stage for the GSLV Mk III," Radhakrishnan added.

Earlier, the first stage of solid motor testing of the cryogenic engine was successfully tested at Sriharikota in southern Andhra Pradesh for 14 seconds.

The GSLV Mk III launch vehicle is being developed for launching the 4 tonne class of satellites in Geo-synchronous Transfer Orbit. Measuring 17 metres in length and 4 metres in diameter, L110 is an earth storable liquid propellant stage with a propellant loading of 110 tonnes.

L110 stage uses two high-pressure Vikas engines in a clustered configuration and draws its heritage from the second stage of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) and strap-ons of GSLV.

Flight-testing of GSLV Mk III will be done at Sriharikota Space Station in 2012.