Bengaluru: Almost nine years after singing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) is all set to open its state-of-the-art integrated cryogenic engine manufacturing facility (ICMF) at its headquarter on Tuesday.
Built on a sprawling area of 4,500 square metre, the ICMF will allow manufacturing of entire range of rocket engines for ISRO at a single facility and boost self-reliance in manufacturing of high-thrust rocket engines.
President Droupadi Murmu has consented to inaugurate the facility at a programme to be held at Bengaluru on Tuesday.
The ICMF has over 70 hi-tech equipment and testing facilities for manufacturing cryogenic (CE20) and semi-cryogenic (SE2000) engines of Indian space launch vehicles.
Also Read: HAL signs $100 Million deal with Honeywell for trainer aircraft engines
The HAL, a Navratna public sector undertaking under the ministry of defence, had signed an agreement in 2013 with ISRO to set up the facility to manufacture cryogenic engine modules at Bengaluru. The MoU was amended in 2016 for setting up of an ICMF with an investment of ₹208 crores.
The commissioning of all the critical equipment for the manufacturing and assembly requirement is completed at the ICMF. The pre-production activities, which include preparation of the process plans, drawings and quality plan, has also commenced. HAL will start realising the modules by March 2023.
Also Read: Aeronautical Society launches aero innovation centre to mentor start-ups
HAL Aerospace Division manufactures liquid propellant tanks and launch vehicle structures of PSLV, GSLV MK-II, GSLV Mk-III and also stage integration for GSLV Mk-II. The aerospace division entering into manufacture of cryogenic engines is a major step in technology up-gradation cum modernization.
Cryogenic engines are the most widely used engines world over in the launch vehicles. Due to the complex nature of the cryogenic engine, till date only a few countries like the US, France, Japan, China and Russia have mastered the cryogenic technology.
On January 5, 2014, India successfully flew GSLV-D5 with a cryogenic engine (made by ISRO through private industries) and became the sixth country in developing cryogenic engines. Space exploration in the future is mostly dependent upon cryogenic technology.
