Vikas engine

ISRO successfully demonstrated the restart capability of the Vikas liquid engine on January 17, 2025, at the Propulsion Complex, Mahendragiri.

• This is a step toward developing reusable launch vehicle technologies to reduce space mission costs.
• The Vikas engine is designed by ISRO’s Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC).
• It powers the PSLV (second stage), GSLV Mark I/II (boosters and second stage), and LVM3/GSLV Mk-III (core stage).
• It uses UDMH (fuel) and N₂O₄ (oxidizer) as a hypergolic combination.
• PSLV is India’s first launch vehicle with liquid stages and is a four-stage vehicle with multi-orbit capability.
• Restart capability enables precise satellite placement and stage recovery, aligning with ISRO’s goals for cost-effective missions.