“The preparations of various stages of GSLV-MkIII are on in full swing. The first stage, comprising solid boosters, are ready and the integration the stage with the rocket has already started,” he added. The second stage —liquid stage —is also ready. Developmental activities in respect of the CUS (third stage) are in final phase,” Dr Kunhikrishnan said, adding, “We will be starting the mock trials shortly.” “The launch will be by the end of this year,” he said.
^The launch date seems to be oscillating between 2016-END, and 2017-H1.
The target is to put into orbit GSAT-19E, an indigenous communication satellite that will weigh about 3.3 tonnes, the heaviest payload to be launched from the Indian spaceport."The satellite assembly and launching process of the GSLV Mk-III are in advanced stages. We are confident that SDSC will make yet another mark among the space-faring nations," said SDSC Deputy Director M. Badarinarayana Murthy.Mr. Murthy told The Hindu that said the target was to take the payload capacity beyond four tonnes in the coming years.New cryogenic engineRegarding the launching of GSAT-19E, Mr. Murthy said the GSLV Mk-III hardware was being assembled and other mission control processes were under way. "They have so far been flawless and we are confident of achieving perfection for the December launch," he asserted.Mr. Murthy said GSLV Mk-III would have a new cryogenic engine that can take payloads in excess of 4-plus tonnes into space with ease.
http://www.dtnext.in/News/National/2016/10/08234624/1018939/Mock-trials-shortly-for-GSLVMkIII-launch-vehicle-says-.vpfQuote“The preparations of various stages of GSLV-MkIII are on in full swing. The first stage, comprising solid boosters, are ready and the integration the stage with the rocket has already started,” he added. The second stage —liquid stage —is also ready. Developmental activities in respect of the CUS (third stage) are in final phase,” Dr Kunhikrishnan said, adding, “We will be starting the mock trials shortly.” “The launch will be by the end of this year,” he said.
Meanwhile, ISRO is conducting high-altitude tests with its own cryogenic engine that is expected to power the heavier rocket Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-Mk III (GSLV Mk III).The GSLV Mk III has a capacity to carry around four tonnes of load.The rocket is scheduled to be flown in January 2017.The GSLV Mk III rocket is expected to save precious foreign exchange for India as it pays to launch heavier satellites through foreign space agencies.In an interaction, ISRO Chairman A.S. Kiran Kumar said the agency is looking forward to develop four-tonne communication satellites that will give the same output as a six-tonner.
Chennai: The 640-tonne GSLV Mk-III, Isro’s heaviest rocket till date, is likely to be launched in January as some stages of the rocket are still undergoing tests.Isro first had planned to launch the heavy rocket in December end. But the largest cryogenic engine CE-20 developed for this rocket is yet to be delivered as it is undergoing tests at Isro’s Propulsion Complex (IPRC) in Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu.
“All the systems are now getting ready. The L110 and S200 stages are already delivered to Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The cryogenic engine CE-20 is still not delivered as the engine tests are going on,” K.Sivan, director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvanan thapuram told Deccan Chronicle.
The cryogenic stage for the vehicle is expected to be delivered sometime in December. “The exact date for the launch will be finalised only when we finish our tests. It’s not like PSLV or GSLV launches. It’s a new stage, new testing and some new observations will be there and we have to solve the teething issues. In all likelihood, the launch may go to January,” he said.
The first developmental flight of GSLV Mk-III is targeted during first quarter of 2017.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducted the test of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk III’s indigenous cryogenic CE-20 engine at ISRO Propulsion Complex in Mahendragiri in the district on Saturday.The CE-20 was ignited and tested for 25 seconds from 7.20 p.m. in the presence of A.S. Kiran Kumar, Chairman, ISRO, to study the performance of the engine that will play a pivotal role in the rocket weighing about 4 tonne.“The engine, which will get ignited at high altitude in vacuum during actual flight, performed exceptionally well to meet all predetermined goals,” said sources in the ISRO Propulsion Complex.
GSLV-Mark 3, the country's most powerful launch vehicle built to lift the heaviest Indian communications satellites to space, is set for its first full-fledged flight on January 20, two ISRO directors announced on Wednesday.Mk III can loft satellites weighing 4,000 kg to space, double the weight the current GSLV-Mk II can lift. We are working to have the maiden test of GSLV-Mk3 flight on January 20, said S. Sivan of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre after the launch of Resourcesat-2A at Sriharikota.The vehicle will put the GSAT-19E communication satellite into orbit. When functional in a few years, Mk III will also enable ISRO to launch from India communications spacecraft to geostationary orbits of 36,000 km.Mk III was partially tested in a 150-km 'sub-orbital' flight in December 2014, without the cryo engine.
GSLV Mk-III rocket's tentative launch date is Jan. 20Isro has fixed tentative launch date for next generation GSLV-Mk-III rocket as January 20.We are planning to have the launch on January 20. Since it's a new mission the launch date may change according to the new observations. Nevertheless, we are aiming for the January launch, said K. Sivan, director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram.
LVM3- D1 render from a recent ISRO presentation. Note the Ogival fairing & canted nose cones of boosters. The truss area is also closed.Thanks to redditors who found this.
GSAT-7A will not be carried by GSLV Mark-III in its next developmental flight scheduled for March 2017, sources said. It would carry GSAT-19E, another civilian satellite.
The first CE20 flight engine acceptance test was successfully conducted for duration of 25s in high altitude simulation test facility during December 2016. This flight acceptance is an important milestone for ISRO as it could successfully cross the major engine development endeavors in the maiden attempt. This engine was conceived, configured, designed, fabricated and developed by Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC).
To test the Engine at flight identical conditions, High Altitude Test (HAT) facility was established at IPRC, Mahendragiri. This facility allows testing of the CE20 engine at its full area ratio in vacuum condition which otherwise would experience flow separation at sea level ambient pressures.The successful engine testing in high altitude condition was preceded by multiple tests on two engines with sea level nozzle divergent (area ratio 10). The development test conducted on these engines provided confidence in the design. The design of the flight nozzle was also validated in the medium duration High Altitude Test programme.The Engine High Altitude Test Programme contained a series of high altitude tests (5 hot tests with a cumulative duration of 41.20s) to demonstrate the vacuum ignition, validate the nozzle performance, propellant flow build up characteristics, chill down performance and demonstrate the ignition margins. All the test objectives were successfully achieved in this test programme. The testing of engine in HAT facility has also helped in finalising the engine start and shut down sequence for flight. Summing up, the test programme has imparted good confidence on the performance and functioning of CE20 Engine in GSLV MKIII (LVM3)-D1 mission.
High Altitude Flight Acceptance test of CE20 Engine conducted successfullyQuoteThe first CE20 flight engine acceptance test was successfully conducted for duration of 25s in high altitude simulation test facility during December 2016. This flight acceptance is an important milestone for ISRO as it could successfully cross the major engine development endeavors in the maiden attempt. This engine was conceived, configured, designed, fabricated and developed by Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC).QuoteTo test the Engine at flight identical conditions, High Altitude Test (HAT) facility was established at IPRC, Mahendragiri. This facility allows testing of the CE20 engine at its full area ratio in vacuum condition which otherwise would experience flow separation at sea level ambient pressures.The successful engine testing in high altitude condition was preceded by multiple tests on two engines with sea level nozzle divergent (area ratio 10). The development test conducted on these engines provided confidence in the design. The design of the flight nozzle was also validated in the medium duration High Altitude Test programme.The Engine High Altitude Test Programme contained a series of high altitude tests (5 hot tests with a cumulative duration of 41.20s) to demonstrate the vacuum ignition, validate the nozzle performance, propellant flow build up characteristics, chill down performance and demonstrate the ignition margins. All the test objectives were successfully achieved in this test programme. The testing of engine in HAT facility has also helped in finalising the engine start and shut down sequence for flight. Summing up, the test programme has imparted good confidence on the performance and functioning of CE20 Engine in GSLV MKIII (LVM3)-D1 mission.Edit: Attached hi-res pic of the engine at HAT facility
Quote from: vineethgk on 01/16/2017 11:36 amHigh Altitude Flight Acceptance test of CE20 Engine conducted successfullyQuoteThe first CE20 flight engine acceptance test was successfully conducted for duration of 25s in high altitude simulation test facility during December 2016. This flight acceptance is an important milestone for ISRO as it could successfully cross the major engine development endeavors in the maiden attempt. This engine was conceived, configured, designed, fabricated and developed by Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC).QuoteTo test the Engine at flight identical conditions, High Altitude Test (HAT) facility was established at IPRC, Mahendragiri. This facility allows testing of the CE20 engine at its full area ratio in vacuum condition which otherwise would experience flow separation at sea level ambient pressures.The successful engine testing in high altitude condition was preceded by multiple tests on two engines with sea level nozzle divergent (area ratio 10). The development test conducted on these engines provided confidence in the design. The design of the flight nozzle was also validated in the medium duration High Altitude Test programme.The Engine High Altitude Test Programme contained a series of high altitude tests (5 hot tests with a cumulative duration of 41.20s) to demonstrate the vacuum ignition, validate the nozzle performance, propellant flow build up characteristics, chill down performance and demonstrate the ignition margins. All the test objectives were successfully achieved in this test programme. The testing of engine in HAT facility has also helped in finalising the engine start and shut down sequence for flight. Summing up, the test programme has imparted good confidence on the performance and functioning of CE20 Engine in GSLV MKIII (LVM3)-D1 mission.Edit: Attached hi-res pic of the engine at HAT facilityWasn't the High Altitude Test done already last December ? But anyway there is lot of good Information and pictures on the test from this ISRO news report ? So, then what prevents ISRO from going ahead with the test that was scheduled on Jan. 20, 2017. The tentative test date was announced by ISRO right after the launch of PSLV on Dec. 8, 2016.The main reason for the postponing the GSLV MK-ii test to March is because the C@% Cryogenic Stage has not yet been tested. Recently I have found from the following Indian Science Congress youtube Channel in which in a speech Mr. Somnath of LPSC Director has mentioned that C25 cryogenic stage test would be conducted in January, 2017. I just can't understand if the C25 Stage test was not done, why then ISRO announced on Dec. 6, 2017 that GSLV MK-III was ready to be launched on Jan. 20, 2017. Had it not been ready, what is the necessity of announcing the launch date so early ?Indian science congress 2017 Live Stream 4 : ( Speech by Mr. S. Somnath, LPSC Director )--- [ --- ]