Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducts hot tests of Gaganyaan propulsion system
- IBEF
- July 10, 2025
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully completed two hot tests of the Gaganyaan Service Module Propulsion System (SMPS) at its Propulsion Complex in Mahendragiri on July 3, marking a key milestone in the country's human spaceflight mission. The short-duration tests, lasting 30 seconds and 100 seconds, were aimed at validating the test article configuration. ISRO confirmed that the propulsion system performed normally, in line with pre-test predictions.
The 100-second test successfully demonstrated the simultaneous operation of all 16 Reaction Control System (RCS) thrusters, each with 100 Newtons thrust, and five Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) engines, each with 440 Newtons thrust in both steady-state and pulsed modes. ISRO’s Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) is leading the technology development for the SMPS, which is critical for orbital manoeuvring and specific abort scenarios during the Gaganyaan mission. The latest tests incorporated enhancements based on learnings from previous trials, simulating flight-like conditions. ISRO noted that a full-duration hot test will follow soon. The Gaganyaan programme aims to demonstrate India’s ability to launch a crewed spacecraft into low Earth orbit, a significant step in advancing India’s capabilities in space exploration.
Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.
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