Isro makes big breakthrough in boosting rocket's capacity

Isro makes big breakthrough in boosting rocket’s capacity

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) has developed a lightweight Carbon-Carbon (C-C) nozzle for rocket engines, which it described as a breakthrough in rocket engine technology.

“This innovation accomplished by Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) promises to enhance the vital parameters of rocket engines, including thrust levels, specific impulse, and thrust-to-weight ratios, thereby boosting the payload capacity of launch vehicles,” it said in a statement.

The VSSC has used advanced materials like Carbon-Carbon (C-C) Composites to create a nozzle divergent that offers exceptional properties, Isro said.

The space centre has produced a nozzle with low density, high specific strength and excellent stiffness, which is capable of retaining mechanical properties even at elevated temperatures, by using processes such as carbonization of green composites, Chemical Vapor Infiltration, and High-Temperature Treatment.

A key feature of the C-C nozzle is its special anti-oxidation coating of Silicon Carbide, which extends its operational limits in oxidising environments. This not only reduces thermally induced stresses but also enhances corrosion resistance, allowing for extended operational temperature limits in hostile environments, Isro said.

The potential impact of this development is significant, particularly for Isro’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).

The PS4, the fourth stage of the PSLV, currently employs twin engines with nozzles made from Columbium alloy. But, by replacing the metallic divergent nozzles with C-C counterparts, a mass reduction of around 67 per cent can be achieved. “This substitution is projected to increase the payload capability of the PSLV by 15 kg, a notable enhancement for space missions,” it said.

A 60-second hot test was conducted at the High-Altitude Test (HAT) facility in ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri in Odisha on March 19, confirming the system’s performance and hardware integrity.

Subsequent tests, including a 200-second hot test on April 2, 2024, further validated the nozzle’s capabilities, with temperatures reaching 1216K, matching predictions, Isro said.

The Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) at Valiamala in Kerala designed and configured the test and IPRC in Mahendragiri conducted the instrumentation and execution of the tests at their HAT facility, Isro said.