{{short description|Indian rocket engine}} {{Infobox rocket engine | image = Vikas engine of ISRO.JPG | image_size = 250 | caption = Model of the Vikas engine | name = Vikas | country_of_origin = India | manufacturer = Godrej & Boyce and MTAR Technologies<ref>{{cite news|title=Manna from Mars ISRO's first mission to the red planet provides a fillip to its local component suppliers.|url=http://businesstoday.intoday.in/story/india-maiden-mars-orbiter-mission-companies-role/1/200601.html|access-date=14 February 2014|newspaper=Business Today|date=8 December 2013}}</ref> | designer = {{bulleted list|Société Européenne de Propulsion (SEP)|ISRO (licensed version)}} | predecessor = Viking | successor = | status = Active | purpose = | type = liquid | fuel = UDMH | oxidiser = N<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub> | capacity = | cycle = Gas generator | thrust = 821 kN<ref name="Vikas1">[https://b14643.eu/Spacerockets_1/India/Vikas/Vikas.htm India's VIKAS engines and its relationship to the European Viking engines] Norbert Brügge, Germany 24 December 2014</ref> | specific_impulse_vacuum = {{convert|293|isp}}<ref name=PS /> | specific_impulse_sea_level = {{convert|262|isp}}<ref name=PS /> | chamber_pressure = 6.2 MPa (62 bar)<ref name=PS>[http://www.spaceflight101.com/pslv-launch-vehicle-information.html PSLV Launch Vehicle Information] Space Flight 101 24 December 2014</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=With eye on lunar mission, ISRO to test high-thrust Vikas engine |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2018/mar/28/with-eye-on-lunar-mission-isro-to-test-high-thrust-vikas-engine-1793608.html |access-date=21 May 2022}}</ref> | thrust_to_weight = | length = {{convert|3.70|m|abbr=on}}(Vikas-4B) | dry_weight = 120 in (3,000 mm) | used_in = 2nd stage of PSLV and GSLV <br /> Main stage L110 of LVM3 }}
The '''Vikas engine''' (a portmanteau from initials of '''''VIK'''''ram '''''A'''''mbalal '''''S'''''arabhai<ref>{{cite news|author1=M Ramesh|title=Godrej Aerospace to make semi-cryogenic engines|url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/has-been-supplying-the-vikas-engines-for-isros-rockets/article6705014.ece|work=The Hindu Business Line|date=18 December 2014|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ks1SDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT191|title=Ready To Fire: How India and I Survived the ISRO Spy Case|last=Narayanan|first=Nambi|last2=Ram|first2=Arun|date=2018|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|isbn=978-93-86826-27-5|page=191}}</ref> ) is a family of hypergolic liquid fuelled rocket engines conceptualized and designed by the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) in the 1970s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/2001/12/03/stories/2001120300481300.htm|title=ISRO tests Vikas engine|date=2001-12-03|access-date=2012-12-11|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140323164318/http://www.hindu.com/2001/12/03/stories/2001120300481300.htm|archive-date=2014-03-23|work=The Hindu|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/sci-tech/unsung-hero-of-moon-mission-is-sad-but-forgiving_100226418.html|title=Unsung hero of moon mission is sad but forgiving|author=K.S. Jayaraman|agency=IANS|publisher=Thaindian.com|date=2009-08-02|access-date=2012-12-11|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180110175535/http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/sci-tech/unsung-hero-of-moon-mission-is-sad-but-forgiving_100226418.html|archive-date=2018-01-10|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The design was based on the licensed version of the Viking engine with the chemical pressurisation system.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Sutton|first1=George Paul|title=History of Liquid Propellant Rocket Engines|date=2006|publisher=AIAA|isbn=9781563476495|page=799|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=s1C9Oo2I4VYC&pg=PA799|language=en}}</ref> The early production Vikas engines used some imported French components which were later replaced by domestically produced equivalents.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Sutton|first1=George Paul|title=History of Liquid Propellant Rocket Engines|date=2006|publisher=AIAA|isbn=9781563476495|page=882|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=s1C9Oo2I4VYC&pg=PA882|language=en}}</ref> It is used in the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) and LVM3 for space launch use.
Vikas engine is used to power the second stage of PSLV, boosters and second stage of GSLV Mark I and II and also the core stage of LVM3. The propellant loading for Vikas engine in PSLV, GSLV Mark I and II is 40 tons, while in LVM3 is 55 tons.
== History == In 1974, Societe Europeenne de Propulsion agreed to transfer Viking engine technology in return for 100 man-years of engineering work from ISRO. The first engine built from the acquired technology was tested successfully in 1985 by Nambi Narayanan and his team at ISRO and named it Vikas.<ref name="FFHRP">{{cite book |last=Muthunayagam |first=A.E |editor1-last=Rao |editor1-first=P.V. Manoranjan |title=From Fishing Hamlet to Red Planet: India's Space Journey |date=10 December 2015 |page=344 |publisher=Harper Collins |isbn=978-93-5177-690-1 |url=https://www.isro.gov.in/sites/default/files/article-files/node/7808/from_fishing_hamlet_to_red_planet_p_v_manoranjan_r.epub |language=en |archive-date=9 September 2017 |access-date=1 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170909100121/http://www.isro.gov.in/sites/default/files/article-files/node/7808/from_fishing_hamlet_to_red_planet_p_v_manoranjan_r.epub |url-status=dead }}</ref> Most components for the VIKAS engine were made formerly by KELTEC, before being subsumed by Brahmos Aerospace.
== Technical details == left|thumb|300x300px|PSLV-C50 second stage with Vikas engine The engine uses up about 40 metric tons of UDMH as fuel and nitrogen tetroxide (N<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub>) as oxidizer with a maximum thrust of 725 kN. An upgraded version of the engine has a chamber pressure of 58.5 bar as compared to 52.5 bar in the older version and produces a thrust of 800 kN. The engine is capable of gimballing.
For launches from 2018 a 6% increased thrust version of the Vikas engine was developed. It was demonstrated on 29 March 2018 in the GSAT 6A launch second stage. It will be used for the four Vikas engines first-stage boosters on future missions.<ref name=sfn-20180329>{{cite news |url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/03/29/india-tests-upgraded-engine-tech-in-successful-communications-satellite-launch/ |title=India tests upgraded engine tech in successful communications satellite launch |last=Clark |first=Stephen |publisher=Spaceflight Now |date=29 March 2018 |access-date=30 March 2018}}</ref> Tests were conducted on the Vikas engine in 2025 for future applicability to VTVL technologies.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Achievements of Department of Space - 2025|url=https://www.isro.gov.in/Achievements_Department_of_Space_2025.html|website=www.isro.gov.in|access-date=2026-01-31}}</ref>
== Variants == {| class="wikitable" ! rowspan="2" |Type ! rowspan="2" |Nozzle Diameter
(m) ! rowspan="2" |Length (m) ! rowspan="2" |Nozzle Area Ratio ! rowspan="2" |Chamber pressure
(MPa) ! rowspan="2" |Fuel ! rowspan="2" |Mix Rate !Flow rate (kg/s) ! colspan="2" |Thrust (kN) ! colspan="2" |Specific Impulse (Ns/kg) ! rowspan="2" |Launcher Stages |- ! !Sea Level !Vacuum !Sea Level !Vacuum |- | colspan="4" |''Booster/first stage'' | | | | | | | | | |- |Vikas-1 |~1.00 |~2.75 |13.9 |5.30 |UDMH / {{N2O4}} |1.86 |246.9 |600.5 |680.5 |2432 |2756 |GSLV Mk.I L40H Strapon |- |Vikas-1+ |~1.00 |~2.75 |13.9 |5.30 |UH 25 / {{N2O4}} |1.87 |271 |677.7 |765.5 |2501 |2824 |GSLV Mk.II L40H Strapon |- |Vikas-X |~1.80 |~3.75 | | |UH 25 / {{N2O4}} | |''285.7'' |736.8 |821.0 |2579 |2873 |LVM3 L110 stage |- | colspan="4" |''Second stage'' | | | | | | | | | |- |Vikas-2 |~1.50 |~3.50 | |5.35 |UDMH / {{N2O4}} |1.86 |249.8 |<nowiki>-</nowiki> |725.0 | |2903 |GSLV Mk.I GS2 stage, PSLV PS2 stage |- |Vikas-2B |~1.80 |~3.70 | |5.85 |UH 25 / {{N2O4}} |1.71 |271.6 |<nowiki>-</nowiki> |804.5 | |2962 |GSLV Mk.II GS2 stage, PSLV PS2 stage |- | colspan="13" |References:<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://b14643.eu/Spacerockets_1/India/Vikas/Vikas.htm|title = India's VIKAS engines and its relationship to the European Viking engines|access-date = 11 December 2015|website = B14643 Internet Presentation to Space Launch Vehicles|publisher = Norbert Brügge|last = Brügge|first = Norbert|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151222161122/http://www.b14643.de/Spacerockets_1/India/Vikas/Vikas.htm|archive-date = 22 December 2015|url-status = live|df = dmy-all}}</ref> |}
== See also == * Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre * ISRO Propulsion Complex * Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle * Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle * LVM3 * SE-2000 * RLV-TD Reusable Launch Vehicle Technology Demonstration * RD-120 – Russian rocket engine on which the SCE-200 is supposedly based. * RD-810 – Ukrainian rocket engine with very similar characteristics. * RD-170
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{cite web |url=http://indianspaceweb.blogspot.com/2010/01/l110-test-to-follow-s200.html |title=L110 test to follow S200 |publisher=SuperNova |date=January 4, 2010}} * {{cite web|url=http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/chennaitalkies/class-of-1974-rocket-science-reminiscences/|title=Class of 1974: Rocket science & reminiscences|agency=IANS|publisher=India Today|date=19 October 2015}}
{{Indian space programme}} {{Rocket engines}}
Category:Rocket engines of India Category:Rocket engines using hypergolic propellant Category:Rocket engines using the gas-generator cycle