ISRO eyes methane power for rockets

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is developing methane-powered rocket engines, according to a media report. Methane can be synthesised with water and carbon dioxide in space. It is also described as the space fuel of the future, the report said.

ISRO is said to be developing two LOx methane (liquid oxygen oxidiser and methane fuel) engines at Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre in Thiruvananthapuram.

Currently, ISRO uses Unsymmetrical Dimethyl Hydrazine and Nitrogen tetroxide for oxidiser in its liquid fuel engines. This was used in the moon mission Chandrayaan-2.

However, hydrazine-based fuels is said to be highly toxic and cancer-causing. Many countries are keen on banning hydrazine. In 2011, the European Commission included hydrazine among the candidates for the list of substances of very high concern, which is regulated by the Registration of Evaluation Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) framework.

Advantages of methane

Methane has several advantages over hydrazine. It is non-toxic, is easy to store, less bulky and can be synthesised up in space.

One disadvantage noted is that methane-fired engines need an igniter to start the fire. Hydrazine fuels, which are hypergolic, start burning on their own upon coming in contact with oxygen.

Raptor, by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, is a staged combustion methane-fuelled rocket engine. The engine is powered by cryogenic liquid methane and liquid oxygen (LOX). China had tested a 80-tonne thrust liquid oxygen-methane engine in July.

What is the purpose of LPSC?

The liquid propulsion activities for launch vehicle were carried out by Liquid Propulsion Project (LPP) and Auxiliary Propulsion Systems Unit (APSU).

The LCSD building was established in January 17, 1985 for the development of control components and control power plants for liquid stages and development of PS4 stage for PSLV under APSU.

Later, LPP and APSU were merged to form the Liquid Propulsion Systems Unit (LPSU) on November 30, 1985. LPSU occupied one block of PSLV office space building in Thiruvananthapuram. LPSU became Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) on June 1, 1987.

The LPSC is the lead centre for the development and realisation of Earth-to-orbit advanced propulsion stages for launch vehicles and also the in-space propulsion systems for spacecraft.

The LPSC activities and facilities are spread across its two campuses in Thiruvananthapuram and Bengaluru.

The development of fluid control valves, transducers, propellant management devices and other key components of Liquid Propulsion Systems are also under the purview of LPSC.

LPSC Thiruvananthapuram is the centre headquarters, responsible for research and development, system design / engineering and project management functions.

LPSC Bengaluru focuses on satellite propulsion. Design and realisation of propulsion systems, integration of spacecraft propulsion systems for remote sensing and communication satellites, development and production of transducers / sensors are its other major activities.