National Draft Space Transportation Policy: Thrust on ISRO green fuel, robotics
ISRO has developed Isrosene, which is a rocket-grade version of kerosene as an alternative to conventional hydrazine rocket fuel
image for illustrative purpose
Chennai: The Indian government, while encouraging the private players to play a good part in the space sector with policy reforms, will continue to focus on research and development (R&D) on green fuel, robotic space exploration and reusable rockets, states the draft National Space Transportation Policy.
The draft policy states focused research is essential on new propulsion systems based on semi-cryogenic, liquid oxygen-methane and green propellants.
The Department of Space (DOS) under Government of India has recently come out with its draft National Space Transportation Policy.
Its space arm - Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) - is working on green fuel (for rockets and satellites), human space missions and others. Similarly, private rocket makers are also for green fuel.
The DOS Secretary and ISRO Chairman K Sivan said the space agency is looking at green propulsion through hydrogen peroxide in its rocket that would take Indians into space under its 'Gaganyaan' mission.
ISRO is also looking at rocket engines powered by hydrogen peroxide as a mono-propellant or as a bi-propellant along with ethanol. The Indian space agency is also developing another green fuel - LOX/Methane - liquid oxygen as oxidiser and methane as fuel.
Sivan had told IANS that the test results were good for LOX/Methane engines. The LOX/Methane propellant has advantages in terms of specific impulse, storability, low toxicity, and cost.
According to Sivan, the space agency is looking to replace its existing liquid engine fuels with green fuel-powered ones. ISRO has also developed Isrosene, which is a rocket-grade version of kerosene as an alternative to conventional hydrazine rocket fuel.
Queried about the green option for its solid fuel-fired engines, Sivan had said the work towards this end is also progressing well. As regards powering the satellites, ISRO is working towards lightweight electrical propulsion in place of chemical fuel.
The private rocket makers are also moving towards greener fuel. "We are shifting to a greener cryogenic fuel (LNG) for our rocket's upper stage.
We already manufactured an engine with this fuel and are in the process of testing. And this greener fuel will also fuel all our future vehicles," Skyroot Aerospace's Co-Founder and CEO Pawan Kumar Chandana told IANS.
