From LVM3 To Gaganyaan: The ISRO Engine Test That Could Power India’s Next Space Leap

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has completed a key propulsion test ahead of an upcoming LVM3 mission, successfully firing its CE20 cryogenic engine at an uprated thrust level of 220 kN.

Flight acceptance hot test of CE20 cryogenic engine earmarked for the C32 upper stage of upcoming LVM3 mission at uprated thrust conditions of 220kN is successfully carried out at ISRO Propulsion Complex, Mahendragiri on September 09, 2026.

Performance of the LOX Tank… pic.twitter.com/Jr1VvcbFsn

— ISRO (@isro) September 10, 2026

The flight acceptance hot test took place on September 9 at the ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC) in Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu. The tested engine will power the LVM3’s C32 upper stage.

ISRO said the test validated the performance of the LOX Tank Pressurisation Module (LTPM), which the agency plans to use in C32 stages for Gaganyaan missions.

The 220 kN test confirmed the engine’s performance under the higher thrust conditions required for its flight assignment.

The successful test, however, adds to ISRO’s ongoing work on advanced propulsion and launch technologies.

LVM3 is one of India’s key launch vehicles for heavier payloads and has an important role in the country’s human spaceflight programme.

ISRO is expanding its capabilities across human spaceflight, lunar and planetary exploration, next-generation launch systems and the planned Bharatiya Antariksh Station.

The space agency has been working towards a broader space ecosystem in which private companies, startups and academic institutions contribute alongside ISRO, while the organisation focuses increasingly on advanced research and complex national missions.

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