NEW DELHI: SpaceX and Tesla chief executive Elon Musk has congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) for completing the third long-duration hot test of he liquid propellant engine of the GSLV MkIII (launch vehicle).
"Isro on July 14, 2021 has successfully conducted the hot test of the liquid propellant Vikas Engine for the core L110 liquid stage of the human rated GSLV MkIII vehicle, as part of engine qualification requirements for the Gaganyaan Programme," the space research agency wrote in a tweet.
In response, the SpaceX CEO congratulated the agency.
"The engine was fired for a duration of 240 seconds at the engine test facility of ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu. The performance of the engine met the test objectives and the engine parameters were closely matching with the predictions during the entire duration of the test," Isro stated in a release.
Scientists associated with Gaganyaan had told TOI in the last week of June that there has been progress made on the human rating of the systems but Isro is yet to officially review the timeline of the programme which has been affected by multiple lockdowns and related restrictions.
And, as reported by TOI earlier, the space agency in April had decided that it may even go ahead with the uncrewed mission without the indigenous data relay satellite and some aspects of the human rating of the systems, even as it works to ensure they are ready much ahead of the launch of humans.
Even the Gaganyaan Advisory Council (GAC) that met in the last week of March had advised Isro not to delay the uncrewed mission.
