ISRO Successfully Tests SE2000 Engine for Next-Gen LVM3 Rocket Upgrade

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) efficiently carried out the third scorching check of its semi-cryogenic engine Power Head Test Article (PHTA) on 28 May 2025 on the ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri. The check is a part of a sequence of efficiency evaluations aimed toward validating key subsystems of the 2000 kN-class SE2000 engine that can ultimately energy the SC120 propulsion stage meant to switch the present L110 liquid core stage of the LVM3 launch car. ISRO started this sequence of efficiency evaluations in March 2025, specializing in vital elements comparable to low- and high-pressure turbo-pumps, the pre-burner, the start-up system, and varied management mechanisms.

The three-phased trials

According to the official ISRO press launch, the PHTA has undergone two scorching checks earlier, which included all methods besides the thrust chamber. The first check on 28.03.2025 demonstrated the graceful ignition & bootstrap operation over a brief period of two.5 seconds. The second scorching check on 24.04.2025 demonstrated the beginning transient build-up and examined the start-up sequence by finishing up a hot-firing for a period of three.5 seconds. The third check was carried out for a period of three seconds to fine-tune additional & finalize the start-up sequence.

The SE2000 employs an oxidizer-rich staged combustion cycle utilizing liquid oxygen and kerosene. It is ready to ship a chamber stress of 180 bar and a selected impulse of 335 seconds—an improve over the L110 stage’s hydrazine-based propulsion.

Future Integration and Impact on Indian Launch Capability

With the subsystem validations full, ISRO will now start built-in engine-level trials, shifting towards full operational readiness. The SC120 stage powered by SE2000 is predicted to extend LVM3’s payload capability from 4 to five tonnes to Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO) and from 8 to 10 tonnes to Low Earth Orbit (LEO).