ISRO developing LOX-methane engine for NGLV

ISRO announced on Friday that it is developing a LOX-methane engine and stages for the Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV), which would feature a reusable booster stage and two expendable upper stages. A LOX-methane engine is a rocket engine that uses liquid oxygen as an oxidizer and methane as fuel.

ISRO in a press release stated that multiple restarts will be essential for booster stage recovery as well as for restarting the upper stage to enhance mission flexibility in this configuration.

To make it viable, the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) of ISRO is developing a spark torch igniter for the future LOX-Methane stages, featuring multi-restart capability, higher ignition reliability, and cleaner combustion products, the release added.


On March 3, a demonstration model of the spark torch igniter was successfully tested using the GSLV Cryogenic Upper Stage vernier engine, with gaseous oxygen and gaseous hydrogen as propellants, the release stated.

The three-second-long test, conducted at the Combustion Research Facility in LPSC, resulted in smooth ignition.

ISRO plans to conduct further tests to refine the igniter's performance.