HAL delivers biggest ever cryogenic propellant tank to ISRO

Bengaluru: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited on Monday said it has delivered the biggest cryogenic propellant tank (C32 LH2) ever fabricated by the company to ISRO, much ahead of the contractual schedule.

The C32-LH2 tank is a developmental cryogenic propellant tank of aluminium alloy designed for improving the payload capability of GSLV MK-III launching vehicle, HAL said in a release.

According to HAL, the four-metre diametric tank is of eight-metre length to load 5,755 Kg propellant in the 89 cubic metre volume.

Total length of weld carried out in the tank was 115 metre at different stages to the quality requirement of 100 per cent tests on radiography, Die penetrant check and Leak proof,it said.

HAL has mastered the skills and technologies required for fabricating welded propellant tanks of Aluminium alloy to such stringent quality requirements, it claimed.

HAL as a strategic reliable partner, has been associating with ISRO for the prestigious space programmes since the last five decades, the company said pointing out that it has supplied critical structures, tankages, satellite structures for the PSLV, GSLV-MkII and GSLV-MkIII launch vehicle.

Various new projects like PS2/GS2 integration, Semi-Cryo structure fabrication and manufacture of cryo and semi cryo engines are being taken up at HAL, for which setting up of necessary infrastructure and facilities is nearing completion, it said.

HAL has also supported ISRO right from the developmental phase of Crew Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment, PAD Abort test for Crew Escape for Human Space Mission and is currently building hardware for full-fledged launch vehicle GSLV Mk-III for Gaganyaan programme, it added.