BENGALURU: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Thursday announced the successful completion of sea level hot test of its Cryogenic engine (CE20) at 22 tonne thrust using nozzle protection system and multi-element igniter. The test was conducted on March 10, 2026, at the ISRO Propulsion Complex in Mahendragiri. ISRO said earlier sea level tests were done using the 19-tonne thrust level.
The CE20 cryogenic engines power the upper cryogenic stage of LVM3 launch vehicles. To enhance the LVM3’s payload capability for future missions, the uprated C32 stage with 22 tonne thrust for the CE20 engine is planned to be used.
The present test qualified the sea level testing of the engine with a test duration of 165 seconds. The performance of the engine and the test facility was as expected during the entire test duration,” ISRO scientists said in their report.
Due to the high area ratio nozzle, testing the CE20 engine at sea level had many challenges. The concerns included flow separation inside the nozzle, which leads to severe vibrations and thermal problems at the flow separation plane, leading to possible mechanical damage of the nozzle.