Bengaluru (PTI): The ISRO on Wednesday announced that it has successfully demonstrated the boot-strap mode start test of the CE20 Cryogenic engine, which powers the upper stage of the Launch Vehicle Mark -3 (LVM3) rocket.

The test was conducted for 10 second under vacuum conditions at the High-Altitude Test (HAT) facility at ISRO Propulsion Complex, Mahendragiri on November 7, it said.

According to ISRO, the CE20 cryogenic engine is already qualified for operation at thrust levels between 19 and 22 tonnes with a single start in flight and is cleared for use in the Gaganyaan missions.

Under normal conditions, the engine ignition begins under tank head pressure, followed by a turbopump start up using a stored gas start-up system, the space agency said. For future missions, multiple in-flight restarts of the CE20 engine will be required for mission flexibility, towards multi-orbit missions.

With the current configuration, each restart requires an additional start-up gas bottle and associated systems, leading to a reduction in vehicle payload capability, it said. "Hence, achieving boot-strap mode start - where the engine builds up to steady operation without external start-up assistance - is essential."

During the test, a multi-element igniter was employed in both the thrust chamber and gas generator to facilitate boot-strap starting, the agency added.

"In this test, following the ignition of the thrust chamber, the gas generator was ignited under tank head conditions, and the turbopumps were started without the use of the start-up system. Subsequently, boot-strap mode build-up and steady-state operation of the engine were successfully demonstrated," it said.

"With this achievement, ISRO has successfully demonstrated boot-strap mode starting of a gas-generator cycle cryogenic engine without any auxiliary start-up system, perhaps for the first time in the world - a significant milestone towards enhancing the restart capability and mission flexibility of future LVM3 flights," it added.

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Dubai (PTI): India opener Sanju Samson was on Tuesday named ICC Men's Player of the Month for March, capping a stellar run that saw him play a defining role in the team's triumphant T20 World Cup campaign.

Samson did not get to play in the early part of the tournament but was the standout performer in the big games towards the end and helped India retain the title.

His latest honour also extends a unique streak, with players from different countries winning the award over the past five months including South Africa's Simon Harmer, Australia's Mitchell Starc, New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell and Pakistan's Sahibzada Farhan.

"Winning the ICC Player of the Month award is an incredible feeling, especially as it comes during what has been the most unforgettable phase of my cricketing journey. Playing a part in India's triumph at the Men's T20 World Cup was truly a dream realised, and it took some time for the magnitude of that moment to fully sink in," Samson said.

"This is an exciting era for Indian cricket, with immense talent across the board. I feel grateful for the opportunities I've received, and for the trust and support from my team-mates and coaching staff that have allowed me to perform at my best."

Not a regular part of the playing XI in the initial stages of the tournament, Samson was eventually called up for India's must-win Super 8 fixtures. After starting off with 24 against Zimbabwe, he picked form and didn't look back.

The opener missed out on a century against the West Indies by just three runs, but his attacking 97 not out set up India's spot in the semifinal.

A blistering 89 against England at the Wankhede helped India to 253 for 7, and the target proved elusive for the English who missed out by seven runs on March 5.

An equally amazing 89 was churned out during India's successful title defence in Ahmedabad, securing a 96-run win.

In the three crucial T20Is he was a part of in March, Samson notched up 275 runs at an astonishing average of 137.50 and a stunning strike rate of 199.27.

This is the first time that Samson has secured an ICC Men's Player of the Month honour.

New Zealand captain Melie Kerr won the women's honour for the third time, after an outstanding series against Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Taking over the white-ball teams from Sophie Devine, Kerr's captaincy seemed to have brought out the best in her with both the ball and the bat. In the Zimbabwe ODI series, she managed to snap 16 wickets in just three matches, including her career-best figures of 7/34.

Additionally, she also contributed with the bat, being the third highest run-scorer in the ODIs, scoring 140 runs across three games with an average of 46.67 in the counting month.