The Hindu Business Line : NFC develops titanium products for GSLV

The Hyderabad-based Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC) has developed critical titanium-based components for the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV)— Mark III of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

The titanium half alloy tubes are meant for the cryogenic upper state project (CUSP) of GSLV. At present, the GSLV, which can put heavier than two-tonne satellites into geostationary orbits, uses the cryogenic stage imported from Russia.

The ISRO, under the Department of Space, has already made considerable progress in achieving the goals of the CUSP indigenously and is readying to use the cryogenic rocket in the coming flights of the GSLV.

Hardware realisation

The successful technology development and fabrication of the different tube sizes of titanium half alloy, including the largest of 118 mm diameter, constitutes a major milestone in the hardware realisation for the upper stage structures of the GSLV-Mark III, an NFC press release said here.

Mr M. Narayana Rao, General Manager of NFC, handed over the technical documents relating to the development for space applications to Dr B.N. Suresh, Director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram, who along with senior executives visited the plant.

The NFC has also developed and supplied titanium truss rod tubes and assemblies for the GSLV and other space organisations.

Titanium alloy seamless tubes are not available even through import. It is a challenging task to develop them, especially the large diameter, thin walled tubes. NFC has achieved expertise in fabrication of such tubes from both titanium and zirconium as well with strategic applications.

Earlier this year, the NFC, an industrial unit under the Department of Atomic Energy, successfully developed titanium half hydraulic tubes for the Light Combat Aircraft project of the Defence Research and Development Organisation.

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