Pradeep's Space Newsletter #49

Three Successes - LVM3 M3 mission, RLV LEX, and Skyroot's 3D printed cryogenic engine and other updates

LVM3 M3/ OneWeb India-2 Mission Successful

India’s LVM3 (formerly, GSLV Mk-III) accomplished the M3/OneWeb India-2 mission successfully on March 26, 2023. It placed 36 satellites belonging to OneWeb. The total payload mass was 5,805 kg.

The Post C25 Shut-off Phase Flight Sequence. Image: ISRO Mission Brochure

After the shutdown of the cryogenic C25 stage (with the CE-20 engine), the stage did a series of complicated maneuvers to place the 36 satellites in orbit (shown in the image above).

Lift-off LVM3-M3. Image: ISRO

Looking forward to LVM3’s commercial success, and becoming a workhorse launch vehicle for India like the PSLV.

Read More: Mission Page

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Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) - Landing Experiment Successful

The prototype of the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) completed the Landing Experiment (LEX) successfully. The prototype was dropped by an Indian Air Force’s Chinook helicopter from a height of 4.5 km, at a distance of 4.6 km. The prototype RLV landed at the Defence Research and Development Organization’s (DRDO) Chitradurga Aeronautical Test Range (ATR).

RLV prototype close to touchdown. Image: ISRO

RLV prototype with the parachute deployed. Image: ISRO

Read More: ISRO page | ISRO sub-Reddit discussion on the use case of RLV

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Skyroot Aerospace successfully tests Dhawan II cryogenic engine

Skyroot Aerospace tests Dhawan II cryogenic engine in Nagpur, Maharashtra. The engine will be used in Vikram-II launch vehicle. The engine is 3D-printed and uses Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) and Liquified Oxygen (LOX) as cryo-propellants. It was tested for 200 s.

Test of the Dhawan II cryogenic engine. Image Credit: Pawan K Chandana/Skyroot Aerospace

Read More: Pawan’s tweet + answers to some questions

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ISRO Updates

• Successful completion of System Demonstration Model (SDM) tests for Crew Module Propulsion System for the Gaganyaan Programme

• Successful completion of human rated Vikas engine test campaign for the L110 stage of Gaganyaan programme

• Indian Space Situational Assessment for the year 2022 – Highlights

• ESA Delegation Visits ISRO Centres

• Australia's India-focused International Space Investment grants programme is open now

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Other Space Updates

• Bengaluru-based Pixxel eyes India's defence for application of its hyperspectral imagery satellites

• ISRO sub-Reddit: C R Sathya is no more

• Raman Research Institute researchers successfully demonstrate secure communication between stationary source and moving receiver using Quantum Key Distribution (QKD)