India Develops World’s Largest 10-Tonne Vertical Propellant Mixer for ISRO’s Solid Motors
Varun Mourya
In a major technological breakthrough, India has unveiled the world’s largest 10-tonne vertical propellant mixer—a state-of-the-art system designed to boost the production of solid rocket motors for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). This pioneering equipment is set to enhance the efficiency, precision, and safety of solid propellant processing, a critical step in rocket motor manufacturing.
A Technological Marvel in Solid Propulsion
Solid propellants form the backbone of rocket motors, and their production demands an exacting blend of highly sensitive and hazardous ingredients. The new vertical mixer ensures uniformity and precision in mixing, thereby elevating the quality and reliability of the final product. Weighing approximately 150 tonnes and measuring 5.4 meters in length, 3.3 meters in breadth, and 8.7 meters in height, the system incorporates multiple hydrostatic-driven agitators. These agitators are controlled remotely via a PLC-based control system integrated with SCADA stations, ensuring safe and streamlined operations even in challenging production environments.
Collaboration for Indigenous Excellence
The development of this high-capacity mixer is the result of a close collaboration between ISRO’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) at Sriharikota and the Central Manufacturing Technology Institute (CMTI) in Bengaluru. This partnership—with inputs from academia and industrial experts—reflects India’s commitment to self-reliance under the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative. Factory-level acceptance tests have been successfully completed, underscoring the system’s readiness to support large-scale production of heavy solid motors.
Enhancing Production Capabilities
The introduction of this mixer marks a significant leap forward for India’s space propulsion technology. By enabling a more productive and controlled manufacturing process, the equipment is poised to increase throughput while maintaining stringent quality standards. This improvement in solid motor production is critical not only for current missions but also for future endeavors that demand robust, high-performance launch vehicles.
Official Inauguration and Future Prospects
In a ceremonial handover at CMTI, the mixer was formally presented to the Director of SDSC SHAR by the Director of CMTI in the presence of ISRO Chairperson V. Narayanan. Officials hailed the achievement as a testament to India’s growing technological prowess and its unwavering commitment to innovation in aerospace engineering. With this new capability, ISRO is well-positioned to expand its solid propulsion programs and strengthen India’s leadership in space exploration.
Conclusion
The development of the world’s largest 10-tonne vertical propellant mixer not only sets a new benchmark in solid propellant processing but also reinforces India’s pursuit of self-reliance in space technology. As the nation continues to push the boundaries of aerospace innovation, this breakthrough stands as a critical milestone in strengthening the production capabilities of solid rocket motors for future space missions.
