India has completed qualification of indigenously-developed powerful cryogenic engine used in rockets to launch satellites in geostationary orbits, 36,000 kms above the earth, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said, reports PTI.
The achievement has put the country in a select band of five countries — the US, Russia, France, China and Japan — who have have the capability to launch rockets with cryogenic engines.
"We have completed the qualification of indigenous cryogenic engines", ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair said, delivering the thirty-second foundation day lecture on 'Space Technology Development – Management Perspective' at the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore.
The indigenous cryogenic upper stage (engine) has been developed to replace Russian-supplied cryogenic stage in the GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle).
"It (cryogenic engine developed by India) is as good as the Russian one", Nair said adding ISRO would soon flight-test the engine.
Nair later told PTI that ISRO was engaged in talks with global aerospace giant EADS to jointly develop satellites.
The proposal was to integrate payload of EADS into the satellite bus of ISRO, Nair added.
