ISRO Working on Green Fuels for Rockets and Satellites, says K Sivan

The Indian space rockets are set to go green as the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is working to replace its existing hazardous fuel with non-hazardous and environment- friendly fuels for its rocket engines and satellites, said K Sivan, Chairman of ISRO.

He also said that ISRO is looking at green propulsion through hydrogen peroxide in its rocket that would take Indians into the space under its ‘Gaganyaan’ mission.

“Since humans will be inside the rocket, we want only non-hazardous fuel and not the hazardous one to power the human space mission’s Gaganyaan rocket,” K Sivan, who is also Secretary in Department of Space, told IANS.

According to him, ISRO is also looking at rocket engines powered by hydrogen peroxide as a mono-propellant or as a bi-propellant along with ethanol.

Besides, the organisation is also developing another green fuel - LOX/Methane- liquid oxygen as oxidiser and methane as fuel.

“One month back, we tested the LOX/Methane engine and the results were good,” he said quoted IANS.

The LOX/Methane propellant has advantages in terms of specific impulse, storability, low toxicity, and cost.

According to him, the space agency is looking to replace its existing liquid engine fuels with green fuel-powered ones.

ISRO has also developed ISROSENE, which is a rocket-grade version of kerosene as an alternative to conventional hydrazine rocket fuel.

Queried about the green option for its solid fuel-fired engines, Sivan said the work towards this end is also progressing well.

As regards powering the satellites, ISRO is working towards lightweight electrical propulsion in place of chemical fuel.

“Now, fuel constitutes nearly 50 per cent of the satellite weight. On the other hand, the electrical propulsion system is much lighter, say 200-300 kg. When electrical propulsion is used, then the satellite’s payload can be increased or the satellite can be put into orbit by a lightweight rocket,” Sivan said.