ISRO receives ‘heaviest’ Semi-Cryogenic Propellant Tank from Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd

The state-run aerospace company Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) said on October 7, 2021, that the ‘heaviest’ Semi-Cryogenic Propellent Tank (SC120-LOX) ever fabricated by it has been delivered to the Indian Space Research Organisation.

In 2020, Hindustan Aeronautics had delivered the ‘biggest’ ever cryogenic liquid hydrogen tank (C32-LH2) much ahead of the contractual schedule. The tank is four meters in diameter and eight meters in length.

HAL has been a strategic reliable partner of ISRO and has been associating with India’s Space Agency for the prestigious space programmes for the last five decades.

HAL Delivers Heaviest Semi-Cryogenic Propellant Tank to ISRO @SpokespersonMoD @drajaykumar_ias @ANI @DefProdnIndia @gopalsutar @isro @PTI_News @TOIIndiaNews @htTweets @IndiaToday @DeccanHerald @the_hindu @BangaloreMirror @XpressBengaluru @ramupatil_TNIE pic.twitter.com/XklIwxZ5ji

— HAL (@HALHQBLR) October 7, 2021

What is Semi cryo-liquid oxygen (LOX) tank?

The semi cryo-liquid oxygen (LOX) tank- the first developmental welded hardware is a part of the SC120 stage. The tank is intended for payload enhancement by replacing the 110 stage in the existing Mk-III launch vehicle.

HAL masters technology to fabricate propellant tanks

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd., while stating that it has mastered the technologies and skills required for fabricating welded propellant tanks, said that to date, the company’s Aerospace Division has successfully delivered 244 propellant tanks and 95 water tanks to ISRO.

The tanks have been delivered to India’s space agency for space programmes of GSLV Mk-II, PSLV, and GSLV Mk-III of diameter 2.1, 2.8, and 4 meters where the length of the tank varies from 2.5 meters to 8.0 meters.

Strategic partnership between HAL and ISRO

• Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd has been associating with the Indian Space Research Organisation for the last 5 decades. In this time, the state-owned company has delivered critical structures, satellite structures, tankages for GSLV-Mk II, GSLV- Mk III, and PSLV launch vehicles.

• HAL has also supported ISRO right from the developmental phase of Crew Module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment, PAD abort test for Crew escape for Human Space Mission.

• Currently, the company has been supplying hardware for the full-fledged launch vehicle GSLV Mk-III for the prestigious Gaganyaan Programme.

• Various new projects such as manufacturing of cryo and semi-cryo engines, semi-cryo structure fabrication, and PS2/GS2 fabrication are also being taken up at Hindustan Aerospace Limited, for which the commissioning and installation of unique infrastructures are also nearing completion.