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ISRO SUCCESSFULLY CONDUCTS KEY CRYO ENGINE TEST FOR NEXT ONEWEB INDIA-1 LAUNCH

YB WEB DESK. Dated: 10/31/2022 1:17:55 PM

Mahendragiri,Oct 30 The flight acceptance hot test of CE-20 engine has been carried out by Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) at the High Altitude Test facility in Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu. The engine is assigned for the LVM-3 M3 mission identified for launching the next 36 OneWeb India1 satellites, the Indian Space Research Organisation said. Sources said these satellites of OneWeb, the London-based satellite communications company, are expected to be launched by the NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the ISRO's commercial arm, aboard LVM-3 early next year. Friday's flight acceptance test comes within days of the launch of the first set of 36 OneWeb satellites by the NSIL from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC- SHAR) in Sriharikota on October 23. According to OneWeb, its partnership with NSIL and ISRO demonstrated its commitment to provide connectivity across the length and breadth of India by 2023. From Ladakh to Kanyakumari and Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh, OneWeb will bring secured solutions not only to enterprises but also to towns, villages, municipalities and schools, including the hardest-toreach areas across the country, it said. “OneWeb's commitment to enhance connectivity in India is backed by Bharti Global, its largest in vestor”, the company said. NSIL Chairman-cumManaging Director Radhakrishnan D had said: “We look forward to strengthening our partnership with OneWeb and utilising the potential that LEO connectivity has to deliver broadband services across India.” Last Sunday's launch marked the rocket's entry into the global commercial launch service market, according to the Bangalore-headquartered national space agency. NSIL, a central public sector enterprise under the Department of Space, had earlier signed two launch service contracts with the Network Access Associated Limited (OneWeb) for launching a total of 72 OneWeb LEO (low earth orbit) satellites on-board ISRO's LVM-3. LVM-3, ISRO's heaviest rocket, is capable of launching a four ton class of satellite to Geosynchronous Transfer orbit. LVM-3 (Launch Vehicle Mark-3) is a three-stage vehicle with two solid strap-on motors, a liquid propellant core stage and a cryogenic stage. Analysis of the test data confirmed the satisfactory performance of the engine systems, the ISRO said, adding that this engine will be assembled to the C25 flight stage being integrated for the LVM-3 M3 vehicle. OneWeb had said its partnership with NSIL and ISRO demonstrated its commitment to provide connectivity across the length and breadth of India by 2023.