SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation. It is for successfully completing the third long-duration hot test of the Vikas Engine for the Gaganyaan Programme. The engine was fired for a duration of 240 seconds at the engine test facility of ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu, ISRO said in a statement.
“On July 14, 2021, ISRO has successfully conducted the third long-duration hot test of the liquid propellant Vikas Engine for the core L110 liquid stage of the human-rated GSLV Mk III vehicle, as part of the liquid propellant Vikas Engine for the core L110 liquid stage of the human-rated GSLV Mk III vehicle, as part of the engine qualification requirements for the Gaganyaan Programme, ISRO stated in a release.
Taking to Twitter, Musk commented “Congratulations” on ISRO’s tweet.
The press release added, the performance of the engine met the test objectives. The engine parameters were closely matching with the predictions during the entire duration of the test.
The objective of the Gaganyaan programme is to demonstrate the capability to send humans to low earth orbit onboard an Indian launch vehicle and bring them back to earth. Four Indian astronaut candidates have already undergone generic space flight training in Russia.
The formal announcement of the Gaganyaan programme was made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Independence Day address on August 15, 2018. The initial target was to launch human spaceflight before the 75th anniversary of India’s independence on August 15, 2022.
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