HAL & Godrej contribution propels India's monster rocket into space

Bengaluru: State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and aerospace arm of Indian multinational Godrej and Boyce played a key role in building the country's heaviest rocket and satellite launched on Monday by the Indian space agency.

"The structural assemblies and fuel tanks of the 640-tonne rocket were produced at our aerospace division in the city," HAL said in a statement here. Mumbai-based Godrej Aerospace unit made components and equipment for both the rocket and the Geosynchronous Satellite (GSAT-19).

"For the rocket, we made the first-stage Vikas engine and the indigenously developed third-stage cryogenic engine thrust chamber. For the satellite, the LAM (Liquid Apogee Motor) engine injectors and thrusters were manufactured at our aerospace unit," Godrej firm said in a separate statement.

"The fabrication of the composite OPLF (Ogive Payload Load Fairing) heat shield of five metres diameter and 11 metres height is a major achievement for us," asserted Raju.

"We are honoured to partner with ISRO in the development and manufacture of critical equipment and contributing to the country's space programme," he said in the statement. "We also integrated the booster rockets of the launch vehicle's Mark-II version for direct use on the launch pad," added Raju.

Over the last five decades, HAL supplied alloy structures, tanks, and satellite bus bars for ISRO's polar and geo-stationary launch vehicles. "We also suppled 18 aero structures and fuel tanks for ISRO's Mars Orbiter Mission, launched on November 5, 2013, from the spaceport, the statement added.

Godrej has been working with ISRO since 1985 on complex systems such as liquid propulsion engines for light, medium and heavy rockets, thrusters for satellites and antenna systems. "We were also in integral part of ISRO's Chandrayaan-1 moon mission in 2008-09 and Mars mission in 2013-14," added Godrej.