In a significant advancement towards India’s Gaganyaan mission, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has achieved the human rating of its CE20 cryogenic engine. This milestone, crucial for launching humans into space, marks a pivotal step forward in India’s space exploration endeavors.
The completion of the final round of ground qualification tests on February 13, 2024, represents a significant achievement for ISRO. Conducted at the High Altitude Test Facility at ISRO Propulsion Complex, Mahendragiri, the tests simulated flight conditions to validate the reliability and safety of the CE20 engine.
To meet human rating standards, the CE20 engine underwent rigorous testing, including 39 hot firing tests under diverse operating conditions, totaling 8810 seconds of cumulative duration. These tests surpassed the minimum human rating qualification standard requirement, demonstrating the engine’s robustness and capability.
The ground qualification tests encompassed a range of assessments, including life demonstration, endurance, and performance evaluations under both nominal and off-nominal conditions for upcoming Gaganyaan Mission. Factors such as thrust, mixture ratio, and propellant tank pressure were thoroughly analyzed to ensure the engine’s reliability in varying scenarios.
The Gaganyaan mission, slated for launch in 2024-2025, aims to send a crew of three humans into a 400 km orbit for a three-day mission before safely returning to Earth, with the landing planned in Indian sea waters. ISRO’s successful completion of the CE20 engine human rating adds impetus to this ambitious mission.
Additionally, ISRO has concluded the acceptance tests of the flight engine designated for the first unmanned Gaganyaan (G1) mission, scheduled tentatively for the second quarter of 2024. This engine, which will power the upper stage of the human-rated LVM3 vehicle, demonstrates impressive thrust capability and specific impulse, further solidifying ISRO’s readiness for manned spaceflight.
Dhairya Saraswat 
Khushi Hirve