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International Space Flight (ESA, Russia, China and others) => Indian Launchers => Topic started by: input~2 on 09/20/2009 06:06 am

Title: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: input~2 on 09/20/2009 06:06 am
First GSLV-MKII confirmed for this launch.
source (http://www.samaylive.com/news/isro-preparing-for-gsat-4-launch-in-two-months/657557.html)
Title: Re: GSAT-4 launch, November 2009
Post by: hornbill2007 on 09/20/2009 01:59 pm
That will be one of the most crucial flights for India's space programme. I would rank it with Chandrayan 1 flight because a country's space future depends on indigenous ability to lift heavy satellites to higher orbits.
Title: Re: GSAT-4 launch, November 2009
Post by: tappa on 09/21/2009 08:49 am
GSAT-4 to use 4 Ion Thrusters, (2 imported, 2 indigenous) see page 1726
http://www.ias.ac.in/currsci/dec252007/1715.pdf (http://www.ias.ac.in/currsci/dec252007/1715.pdf)
Title: Re: GSAT-4 launch, December 2009
Post by: hornbill2007 on 11/10/2009 10:47 am
Has the cryogenic stage been integrated into the launch vehicle?
Title: Re: GSAT-4 launch, December 2009
Post by: johnxx9 on 11/10/2009 04:42 pm
Has the cryogenic stage been integrated into the launch vehicle?

Most probably yes
Title: Re: GSAT-4 launch, December 2009
Post by: m.prasad on 12/11/2009 04:54 am
More updates available on the page about ISRO ongoing launch campaign:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=1173.465

~Prasad
Title: Re: GSAT-4 launch, December 2009
Post by: James1 on 02/26/2010 03:52 am
I've deliberately not included data on performance, reliability, or anything else because that would distract us from the most striking observation about these vehicles; each and every one of them, whatever the technology, country of origin, original design intent, launch history, fuel and oxidiser, success or failure in the commercial launch market, have mission costs in ranging from tens to hundreds of millions of US$.
Title: Re: GSAT-4 launch, NET April 2010
Post by: tonthomas on 03/09/2010 06:38 am
Looks like TAUVEX has removed from this mission:
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100308/main7.htm (http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100308/main7.htm)

Maybe they don´t trust the launchers performance?

Thomas
Title: Re: GSAT-4 launch, NET April 2010
Post by: seshagirib on 04/10/2010 04:11 am
Ready to go: http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/10/stories/2010041068741900.htm

.......Mission Director G. Ravindranath told .....It was “the most reviewed vehicle”.....

Info. release from ISRO: http://isro.org/news/pdf/GSLV-D3.pdf
Title: Re: GSAT-4 launch, NET April 2010
Post by: Shturmanskie on 04/10/2010 01:27 pm
Way to go India!!

I am sure many key players worldwide will be nervously monitoring this launch.
Title: Re: GSAT-4 launch, NET April 2010
Post by: Satori on 04/11/2010 01:06 pm
From The Hindu GSLV-D3 ready for launch on April 15 (http://beta.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/article393152.ece).
Title: Re: GSAT-4 launch, NET April 2010
Post by: seshagirib on 04/13/2010 05:23 am
Launch processing pics(ISRO website): http://isro.org/gslv-d3/Imagegallery/launchvehicle.aspx#2
Title: Re: GSAT-4 launch, NET April 2010
Post by: Zipi on 04/13/2010 08:24 am
Does somebody know livestreaming links for this launch?

Reuters video report of coming launch:
http://www.reuters.com/news/video/story?videoId=70629364

ISRO To Launch GSAT-4:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnxEj_5dYy8
Title: Re: GSAT-4 launch, NET April 2010
Post by: Zipi on 04/13/2010 11:00 am
And 3 videos in indian language, but includes some nice footage from the launch vehicle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQC3aiaLYec

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nd8GwjWOsp4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlTYKuuY0Nc
Title: Re: GSAT-4 launch, NET April 2010
Post by: seshagirib on 04/13/2010 05:27 pm
Zipi, Look out for the live coverage on IBN, and NDTV

http://www.ndtv.com/news/videos/video_live.php?id=LIVE_BG24x7&live=tv
http://ibnlive.in.com/

I will try to update the list closer to launch time....

edit: + http://timesnow.live.indiatimes.com/
Title: Re: GSAT-4 launch, NET April 2010
Post by: tonthomas on 04/15/2010 09:22 am
GSLV-D3 on Pad (Vids with english comments):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knXcyFUmHew
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIsMUyowiKs

Thomas
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Satori on 04/15/2010 10:35 am
GSLV-D3 minutes wawy from launch...
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Satori on 04/15/2010 10:54 am
Everything os go! Authorization for launch has been given!
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Spiff on 04/15/2010 10:54 am
3 minutes and counting.
(can't do screenshots. Sorry...)
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Satori on 04/15/2010 10:54 am
T-3m...
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Satori on 04/15/2010 10:56 am
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Spiff on 04/15/2010 10:57 am
Launch!
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Satori on 04/15/2010 10:58 am
LAUNCH!!!
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Satori on 04/15/2010 10:59 am
Performance normal!!
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Spiff on 04/15/2010 11:00 am
1st stage sep.
2nd stage ignition
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Satori on 04/15/2010 11:00 am
1 - 2 sep

Second Stage ignition!!!
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Spiff on 04/15/2010 11:01 am
3.5 km/s
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Satori on 04/15/2010 11:02 am
Ignition of India's crio stage after second stage sep!!!
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Spiff on 04/15/2010 11:03 am
India's indigenous cryogenic engine firing :)
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Spiff on 04/15/2010 11:03 am
uh oh.....
telemetry on screen does not look good....
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: stockman on 04/15/2010 11:05 am
uh oh.....
telemetry on screen does not look good....
\

yea thats going the wrong direction.....
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Spiff on 04/15/2010 11:05 am
'deviation of performance'

graphs look rather ballistic (my opinion)
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: William Graham on 04/15/2010 11:07 am
Rocket is reported to be underperforming.
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Spiff on 04/15/2010 11:08 am
telemetry lost...
ticker on screen is still screaming 'historic launch' and such, but I fear this is a failure.
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Satori on 04/15/2010 11:08 am
Humm, so me kind pf problem with the crio stage...
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: sanman on 04/15/2010 11:09 am
I think they've lost the rocket

Right after the indigenous cryo engine ignited, the thing started deviating from the predicted plot

No telemetry being received back - it's a goner
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: William Graham on 04/15/2010 11:10 am
Reporters state that there has been a "major performance loss"
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Satori on 04/15/2010 11:11 am
Looks like data was lost from T+505s...
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Skyrocket on 04/15/2010 11:12 am
Guess some scientists are glad now, that their TAUVEX II payload was bumped from this mission.
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Satori on 04/15/2010 11:14 am
Well, sadly we have the first launch failure of the year :(
Title: FAILED: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: William Graham on 04/15/2010 11:15 am
Failure confirmed
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Satori on 04/15/2010 11:16 am
Official: launch failure. Rocket did'nt got into orbit...
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Spiff on 04/15/2010 11:18 am
statement by ISRO

Cryo engine confirmed as ignited
Stage was tumbling and out of control
Detailed analysis to follow

(Indian english is hard to follow...)
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Satori on 04/15/2010 11:18 am
Looks like the problem was related with the no ignition of the verniers on the India's Crio Stage?
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Spiff on 04/15/2010 11:19 am
And then some statements about thorough investigation and making sure next launches won't fail as well. The usual stuff really....
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: sanman on 04/15/2010 11:31 am
They suspect that the 2 verniers which provide stability control didn't function properly, and this caused the upper stage to tumble out of control.

It's a little early to know, though.

Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Satori on 04/15/2010 11:39 am
Next launch of GSLV with a Indian third stage will take place in one year.
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Zipi on 04/15/2010 11:50 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjeyoErixCc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uqad7QC-9Jk
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Zipi on 04/15/2010 01:20 pm
Better launch video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj2V_-Ywmdg
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: WHAP on 04/15/2010 02:55 pm
In the second video Zipi posted, did the director say "non ignition of the cryo" or was it just clipped?  Do other upper stages use verniers for control?  SpaceX, Atlas, Delta all seem to do fine with a single main engine.
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: spacex on 04/15/2010 03:13 pm
Developing a cryo engine is not an easy task. Hopefully they will identify the problems and the next launch will be successful.
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: just-nick on 04/15/2010 03:44 pm
Frustrating day for everyone in the Indian space program.  I really admired their pluck to methodically develop these indigenous solutions.

Good luck...

Anyway, got a question.  From what I know, the GSLV "stage 0" boosters burn longer than the "stage 1" core.  How's that handled?  Is it not a parallel-burn (like the Titan III/IV, not the Delta/Atlas)?

  --Nick
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: ugordan on 04/15/2010 03:57 pm
From what I know, the GSLV "stage 0" boosters burn longer than the "stage 1" core.  How's that handled?  Is it not a parallel-burn (like the Titan III/IV, not the Delta/Atlas)?

Why would that pose a problem if the liquids have control authority?
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Dmitry_V_home on 04/15/2010 05:39 pm
All it is very sad. But, I hope, Indians can quickly define and eliminate causes of accident.
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: just-nick on 04/15/2010 06:01 pm
From what I know, the GSLV "stage 0" boosters burn longer than the "stage 1" core.  How's that handled?  Is it not a parallel-burn (like the Titan III/IV, not the Delta/Atlas)?

Why would that pose a problem if the liquids have control authority?
It just is an unusual way of doing things, I guess.

You'd be pushing the big burned out husk of the solid stage 1 for a good extra minute and paying the mass/drag penalties for that.

 --Nick
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: tonthomas on 04/15/2010 07:32 pm
From http://www.isro.org/pressrelease/scripts/pressreleasein.aspx?Apr15_2010 : "... It is yet to be ascertained whether the cryogenic engine did ignite. ..."

Thomas
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: sanman on 04/16/2010 12:55 am
In watching the velocity numbers from the video, I didn't see the expected velocity increase that should have occurred following cryo engine ignition. So in my own humble opinion, I don't think that the cryo engine ignited.

Anyway, just my personal opinion.
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Art LeBrun on 04/16/2010 02:14 am
In watching the velocity numbers from the video, I didn't see the expected velocity increase that should have occurred following cryo engine ignition. So in my own humble opinion, I don't think that the cryo engine ignited.

Anyway, just my personal opinion.


Makes sense. Why would a failure of two verniers cause anything but a roll issue? I assume the engine gimbals in pitch and yaw. Anyway a shocking development for modern spaceflight.
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: edkyle99 on 04/16/2010 04:31 am
In watching the velocity numbers from the video, I didn't see the expected velocity increase that should have occurred following cryo engine ignition. So in my own humble opinion, I don't think that the cryo engine ignited.

Anyway, just my personal opinion.


Makes sense. Why would a failure of two verniers cause anything but a roll issue? I assume the engine gimbals in pitch and yaw. Anyway a shocking development for modern spaceflight.

I agree about the vernier control, etc.  Seems likely a main propulsion failure at, or shortly after, the planned ignition time.

A rough start for India, but ISRO might find solace in the fact that five of the first seven Atlas/Centaur flights failed, that Europe's Ariane cryo stage suffered its fair share of failures (five I think) during the early days, that RL10 and Centaur and Long March and H-II(A) have continued to give occasional heartache even in recent years, and so on. 

This stuff isn't easy. 

 - Ed Kyle
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: avollhar on 04/16/2010 05:01 am
Verniers: could it be that the verniers also provide settling of cryo liquids for stage ignition? I think they were called ullage motors on the Saturn V.. if these fail to ignite, the turbopumps potentially run dry -> no stage ignition.

Just a wild thought..
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: jcm on 04/16/2010 07:01 am
A rough estimate suggests that GSLV-D3 reached a -4400 x 137 km x 19.4 deg orbit
and reentered over the Andaman Sea at around 95E 9N +/- a few deg.
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: osiossim on 04/16/2010 07:27 am
Bad day for Indian space industry and the launch insurance market.

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1004/15gslv/
http://www.spacenews.com/launch/100415isro-cryogenic-engine-fails.html
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: input~2 on 04/16/2010 09:18 am
In watching the velocity numbers from the video, I didn't see the expected velocity increase that should have occurred following cryo engine ignition. So in my own humble opinion, I don't think that the cryo engine ignited.
I tend to agree, as supported by these telemetry data (extracted from various live broadcasts):

Time (s)        velocity (km/s)   altitude (km)   event   
262.8                           4.113             127.5   
263.8                           4.138             127.8   
         
290.4                                                       GS2 Shutoff
         
293.0                                                       GS2 Separation
         
297.0                           4.898             134.7
298.0                          4.898             134.9   
299.0                          4.898             135.1   
300.0                          4.898             135.3   
301.0                          4.897             135.5   
         
304.9                                                      CUS Ignition
         
308.0                          4.895              136.5
309.0                          4.895              136.7   
310.0                          4.895              136.8   
         
316.0                           4.893            137.5
317.0                          4.893             137.6
318.0                          4.893             137.7
319.0                          4.893             137.8
320.0                          4.893             137.8
321.0                          4.893             137.9
322.0                          4.893             138.0
323.0                          4.893             138.0
324.0                          4.892             138.1
325.0                          4.892             138.2
326.0                          4.892             138.2
327.0                          4.892             138.3
328.0                          4.892             138.3
329.0                          4.892             138.3
         
373.0                          4.899              134.9

379.0                          4.901              133.7

446.5                          4.951              107.4

505.0                          5.023                65.9

(http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/1545/gd3.gif)
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: kanaka on 04/16/2010 10:43 am
We should have real time simulated flight - testing system instead of direct test flight. Atlest we should have some dummy payloads or components. This would help in minimizing cost as well as risks.
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: just-nick on 04/16/2010 02:33 pm
In watching the velocity numbers from the video, I didn't see the expected velocity increase that should have occurred following cryo engine ignition. So in my own humble opinion, I don't think that the cryo engine ignited.

Anyway, just my personal opinion.


Makes sense. Why would a failure of two verniers cause anything but a roll issue? I assume the engine gimbals in pitch and yaw. Anyway a shocking development for modern spaceflight.
I wouldn't assume that the verniers were for roll only.  Zenit and Soyuz both, I believe, use fixed engines with verniers (Zenit 2nd stage) for pitch, roll, and yaw.

  --N
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: jcm on 04/16/2010 06:38 pm
In watching the velocity numbers from the video, I didn't see the expected velocity increase that should have occurred following cryo engine ignition. So in my own humble opinion, I don't think that the cryo engine ignited.

Anyway, just my personal opinion.


Makes sense. Why would a failure of two verniers cause anything but a roll issue? I assume the engine gimbals in pitch and yaw. Anyway a shocking development for modern spaceflight.
I wouldn't assume that the verniers were for roll only.  Zenit and Soyuz both, I believe, use fixed engines with verniers (Zenit 2nd stage) for pitch, roll, and yaw.

  --N

If it tumbled right away, the cryo engine could have ignited but not yielded a net velocity change. However I tend to suspect that there was no ignitiion. Condolences to my friends on the ISRO team - I have confidence that they will fix this and make this engine work in the future.
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Art LeBrun on 04/16/2010 06:46 pm
In watching the velocity numbers from the video, I didn't see the expected velocity increase that should have occurred following cryo engine ignition. So in my own humble opinion, I don't think that the cryo engine ignited.

Anyway, just my personal opinion.


Makes sense. Why would a failure of two verniers cause anything but a roll issue? I assume the engine gimbals in pitch and yaw. Anyway a shocking development for modern spaceflight.
I wouldn't assume that the verniers were for roll only.  Zenit and Soyuz both, I believe, use fixed engines with verniers (Zenit 2nd stage) for pitch, roll, and yaw.

  --N

Good point - I must have thought more than 2 would be required for pitch and yaw. Perhaps one vernier ignited to cause the tumbling....
if tumbling is the correct term?
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: sanman on 04/17/2010 12:38 am
ISRO had done extensive testing of the cryo engine on the ground, but they had not tested it in a vacuum. That was left to the actual flight test.

How does everyone else perform testing of rocket engines to simulate vacuum conditions?

EDIT-
Oh, here we go:

http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/butowsky4/space7.htm

http://microgravity.grc.nasa.gov/LaunchSystems/UpperStageEngine/
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: input~2 on 04/17/2010 03:45 pm
From the Hindu front page (17April 2010) Why didn't the cryogenic engine ignite? (http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/17/stories/2010041765721100.htm)


Quote from: ISRO spokesman
The cryogenic engine has not ignited, that is for sure.

Quote from: Authoritative former ISRO official
It is very clear that the cryogenic engine did not ignite when you look at the curve [of the vehicle's trajectory], everything was normal up to the GS2 [second stage] shutdown. Then you can see clearly that there is no increment in the vehicle's velocity. The velocity is the same. It started losing its altitude also.
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Art LeBrun on 04/17/2010 03:54 pm
Interesting - where is the data for engine chamber pressure, pump speeds, propellant flow and pressures and other information? New vehicle would have lots of detailed telemetry? Maybe the information will come out later.
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: sanman on 04/17/2010 05:07 pm
I wonder if India's going to have to build a dedicated vacuum test facility now, or if they can rent someone else's.

As I mused in another thread, I wonder if it's possible to just float an engine test rig up on a balloon to some high altitude, in order to test-fire it. Otherwise, there would seem to be a huge amount of engineering involved in building a ground-based vacuum test facility.

Or else perhaps India could have used its older, cheaper ASLV rocket to loft the new engine upto 50 miles altitude for suborbital flight-testing.

Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Damon Hill on 04/17/2010 10:31 pm
I wonder if India's going to have to build a dedicated vacuum test facility now, or if they can rent someone else's.

As I mused in another thread, I wonder if it's possible to just float an engine test rig up on a balloon to some high altitude, in order to test-fire it. Otherwise, there would seem to be a huge amount of engineering involved in building a ground-based vacuum test facility.

How big will the balloon need to be to support the weight of the engine, propellant supply and instrumentation, and support structure?

How will this flying arrangement compensate for thousands of pounds of thrust, in whatever direction?

I suspect the real problem with the Indian engine will be something other than the vacuum condition.  If ISRO doesn't have a altitude compensating test chamber, it's time they build one.  Do you know how it works?  It's surprisingly simple in principle.
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: sanman on 04/17/2010 11:16 pm
How big will the balloon need to be to support the weight of the engine, propellant supply and instrumentation, and support structure?

How will this flying arrangement compensate for thousands of pounds of thrust, in whatever direction?

Hmm, I suppose that it would be a very giant balloon, but that this would be much cheaper than an actual rocket test flight. Plus, the balloon could be tethered to compensate for the engine thrust. Yes, this would be a very long tether.   ;D

Quote
I suspect the real problem with the Indian engine will be something other than the vacuum condition.  If ISRO doesn't have a altitude compensating test chamber, it's time they build one.  Do you know how it works?  It's surprisingly simple in principle.

India does not have a macro-scale vacuum test chamber, and vacuum conditions were not simulated in ground testing of the engine. I think they may have tried to simulate this merely through numerical methods, and not through an actual test-firing under these conditions.

From what I've read, these vacuum chambers work through "steam ejectors" which not only have to produce a vacuum, but have to maintain it in the face of the huge exhaust put out by the engine being tested.

Perhaps it would be easier just to rent somebody else's in the near term, and consider building one for the long haul.
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Damon Hill on 04/18/2010 02:10 am

Quote
I suspect the real problem with the Indian engine will be something other than the vacuum condition.  If ISRO doesn't have a altitude compensating test chamber, it's time they build one.  Do you know how it works?  It's surprisingly simple in principle.

India does not have a macro-scale vacuum test chamber, and vacuum conditions were not simulated in ground testing of the engine. I think they may have tried to simulate this merely through numerical methods, and not through an actual test-firing under these conditions.

From what I've read, these vacuum chambers work through "steam ejectors" which not only have to produce a vacuum, but have to maintain it in the face of the huge exhaust put out by the engine being tested.

Perhaps it would be easier just to rent somebody else's in the near term, and consider building one for the long haul.

The steam ejector works initially to pump down the chamber; the high speed exhaust of the engine being tested does the rest of the work.

Russia has a couple of dandy facilities, and India has traditionally worked closely with them.

But let's wait for a failure analysis to point to the real problem.  Quite a number of things could have caused this.  Liquid hydrogen has an annoying tendency to freeze anything that's not helium, for example.
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: WHAP on 04/18/2010 02:30 am
Interesting - where is the data for engine chamber pressure, pump speeds, propellant flow and pressures and other information? New vehicle would have lots of detailed telemetry? Maybe the information will come out later.

It's likely with ISRO, and won't be released unless and until they feel it's necessary.  I suspect that would be never.
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: tonthomas on 04/18/2010 03:38 pm
In http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/et-cetera/GSLV-mission-Scientists-say-cryogenic-engine-had-ignited-/articleshow/5828347.cms (http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/et-cetera/GSLV-mission-Scientists-say-cryogenic-engine-had-ignited-/articleshow/5828347.cms) a cientist, who wants to be unnamed, is cited concerning the ignition:

"This took place for a second and then the fuel supply to power turbo got blocked. The (Indian Space Research Organisation) chairman and we knew this on Thursday but then we wanted to be doubly sure about it. And now this has been substantiated with the data. By all means this is a great achievement,"

Thomas
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: tonthomas on 04/18/2010 03:50 pm
So may be the verniers have had to work as ullage motors for fuel settling but failed. The main motor made a short burp and starved without fuel.

Thomas
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Art LeBrun on 04/18/2010 03:57 pm
Since this was still a high velocity flight why do you need to settle fully loaded cryogenic propellants with ullage pressures in place?
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: tonthomas on 04/18/2010 04:14 pm
Don´t think velocity is the factor. But interesting to know should be if there was driven flight of the third stage, and, concerning stage pressurisation, in which way it was realised. Besides the pressure, the aggregate phase matters, and i think, the motors turbomachinery is not designed to pump gaseous O2 oder H2.

Thomas
Title: Engine Did Ignite, says ISRO
Post by: sanman on 04/18/2010 07:04 pm
http://beta.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/article402907.ece

ISRO is saying that it was a fuel-pump failure, which starved the engine a second after it ignited.
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: ugordan on 04/18/2010 07:12 pm
Interesting. The pump did start but failed immediately. Wouldn't that suggest the failure mode could be reproduced without a vacuum chamber?
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Art LeBrun on 04/18/2010 07:15 pm
Possible broken output shaft or gearbox failure............other scenarios?
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: avollhar on 04/18/2010 07:32 pm
Since this was still a high velocity flight why do you need to settle fully loaded cryogenic propellants with ullage pressures in place?
What has velocity to do with it? It's about acceleration and the lack of it (or gravity) means that there is a possibility of gaseous H2/O2 at the turbopump inlet rather than LH2/LOX.. which could result in the 'burp'.

Even when fully loaded you have some gas reservoir to pressurize the tanks.
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: Art LeBrun on 04/18/2010 07:49 pm
My point is that tanks are pressurized when fully loaded which helps to seat the propellants gravity or not. I will concede that gaseous condition could occur in a feedline. After a first burn then a gaseous condition will occur.
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: ugordan on 04/18/2010 07:53 pm
My point is that tanks are pressurized when fully loaded which helps to seat the propellants gravity or not.

Pressurization itself does not help seat the propellants. There is still nothing forcing the ullage to remain at the top of the tank in zero G. Most vehicles today however can live with that because the ignition of the stage comes soon after cutoff of previous stage so the gas bubble does not have time to travel to the feedline inlet at the tank bottom.

As to the failure in question, I wonder if cavitation could be an issue? On the ground they have the increased pump inlet pressure due to weight of the propellant, that would be missing in flight. Seems like a silly mistake to make, though.
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: input~2 on 04/18/2010 08:11 pm
Screenshot from televised video at T0+505s when telemetry link was lost (curves and scales have been colored for better readability)

- Nominal altitude vs time in green
- Nominal relative velocity vs time in magenta
- Observed deviations in red
GS2 IGN = second stage ignition
CUS IGN = third stage ignition
CUS OFF = third stage cut-off

(http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/9048/datam.jpg)
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: tonthomas on 04/18/2010 08:17 pm
So what happened between 290.4 s (shutdown of second stage) and 304.9 s (third stage main engine(?) ignition)?

The turbine that spins the fuel pump may have failed (said in already mentioned http://beta.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/article402907.ece (http://beta.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/article402907.ece)) - because of overspeed from a dry pump, other (mechanical) causes, or i.e. there was no gas to drive the turbine longer...
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: seshagirib on 04/19/2010 05:26 am
My understanding of the cryogenic engine is H and O2 pumps are driven by the turbine, but how are the pumps driven before  ignition? battery driven?
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: s^3 on 04/19/2010 11:16 am
Screenshot from televised video at T0+505s when telemetry link was lost (curves and scales have been colored for better readability)

- Nominal altitude vs time in green
- Nominal relative velocity vs time in magenta
- Observed deviations in red
GS2 IGN = second stage ignition
CUS IGN = third stage ignition
CUS OFF = third stage cut-off

(http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/9048/datam.jpg)

Using the data given in earlier post

[290.4   GS2
293   GS2
297   4.898
298   4.898
299   4.898
300   4.898
301   4.897
304.9   CUS
308   4.895
309   4.895
310   4.895
316   4.893
317   4.893
318   4.893
319   4.893
320   4.893
321   4.893
322   4.893
323   4.893
324   4.892
325   4.892
326   4.892
327   4.892
328   4.892
329   4.892
373   4.899
379   4.901
446.5   4.951
505   5.023]

I plotted the graph and added trendlines.

Velocity is continuously falling from 293 ( GS2 Shutoff/seperation ) to 329 seconds indicating that there is no force operating to increase the velocity ( Velocity falls from 4.898 to 4.892 ) .

After that the kinetic energy attained by previous ignitions is finished and the free fall starts increasing the freefall velocity to 4.892 to 4.899... from 329 to 373... onwards upto 5.203 at 505 seconds.

So.. even if the cryo ignited it did not impart any force towards increasing the velocity of the rocket.
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: input~2 on 04/19/2010 02:37 pm
So.. even if the cryo ignited it did not impart any force towards increasing the velocity of the rocket.
I tend to agree. This is illustrated below when zooming in from my earlier graph (http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=18858.msg576689#msg576689) on the period around CUS IGN.
(http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/6107/gd3j.gif)
Edit: I have added trendlines
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: sanman on 04/19/2010 05:24 pm
Well, against the claim of ~1 sec burn of cryo engine, it's rather hard to tell. You'd have to superimpose a linear plot against a ballistic curve, and for such a short interval relative to the data points available, it's hard to interpolate whether or not some slight acceleration was imparted.

If ISRO can release more detailed flight telemetry data, then more accurate analysis would be possible. Otherwise, it's hard to discern the difference between ~1sec burn and non-ignition based on the data points we now have available.

I do wish that ISRO would also have cameras aboard their launch vehicles, as these can provide important information on the flight, as well as serving as a valuable historical record of a milestone achievement in the country's space progress.
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: input~2 on 04/28/2010 09:46 am
Quote from: ISRO
Indian launches are never insured
(source (http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/et-cetera/High-premium-deters-ISRO-from-insuring-projects/articleshow/5862418.cms))
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: input~2 on 05/05/2010 08:19 pm
An interesting article on the failure just published by the Indian Front Line magazine "Cryogenic setback (http://www.flonnet.com/stories/20100521271010100.htm)"
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: kanaka on 05/06/2010 05:37 am
Good Article. Can't we have real time simulators for simulating the flight test before going for actual test? This would save loss of vehicle or satellite. ISRO should have gone with a dummy satellite (rocks even !!! :))  of equal weight instead of trying with original satellite while doing experiemnts. This saves cost in case of failuare.
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: ugordan on 05/06/2010 09:07 am
ISRO should have gone with a dummy satellite (rocks even !!! :))  of equal weight instead of trying with original satellite while doing experiemnts. This saves cost in case of failuare.

And if you're launching with the logic assumption the flight will go well (otherwise why do you feel you're ready for the launch?) and it does go well, you just wasted one working vehicle on rocks. Meanwhile, there are countless payloads sitting on the ground that would take any chance they can get just to get a ride to space, no matter how risky.
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: kanaka on 05/06/2010 09:20 am
satellite is more expensive than working vehicle. simulators with real time parameters are better for simulated flight testing before going for actual test
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: ugordan on 05/06/2010 10:49 am
Why then do you think anyone puts a paying customer on any inaugural flight?
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: input~2 on 05/06/2010 12:59 pm
GSLV failure analysis report expected in mid June (source (http://www.mynews.in/News/GSLV_failure_analysis_report_expected_in_mid_June_N53120.html))
Title: Re: GSLV-D3 / GSAT-4 launch - April 15, 2010
Post by: seshagirib on 06/29/2010 04:55 pm
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_geosynchronous-satellite-relaunch-with-indigenous-cryogenic-engine-in-one-yr-isro_1402900

Looks like ISRO made some progress in the Failure Analysis:

"We have come across a few scenarios after detailed analysis of the failure. Now the immediate task is to test it on the ground and we look forward to relaunch it next year," ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan told reporters......