Kollam, July 14 (PTI) In a remarkable achievement, Kerala Minerals and Metals Limited (KMML), a major public sector undertaking (PSU) under the state government, has played a crucial role in supplying vital components for the engine parts of the country’s third lunar mission.
The Titanium Sponge Plant at KMML, which was set up using the technology developed by Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL), a unit of DRDO, provided the titanium sponge metal for making the engine components of the space vehicle for India’s ambitious Moon mission Chandrayaan-3, KMML MD J Chandrabose said.
KMML has been supplying the material for the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), a major space research centre of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), for the past six to seven years, Chandrabose said, adding that the PSU is the only supplier of titanium in the country.
“The first batch of the titanium sponge metal was produced in the year 2011. Our products were used for the Chandrayaan 2 mission as well. VSSC procures aerospace grade titanium sponge metal from us, which they melt and make into titanium alloy for the engine parts,” he told PTI.
Currently, KMML is producing 300 tonnes annually, Chandrabose said. He said VSSC procures at least 50 per cent of the titanium sponge metal produced annually.
“Aerospace grade titanium sponge metal costs around Rs 16 lakh per tonne,” he added.
The rest of the non-aerospace quality titanium sponge metal is being sold for other commercial purposes.
Chandrabose said KMML has already supplied nearly 200 tonnes to the Indian Navy to make submarines and other special vehicles.
Titanium is used in such special vehicles due to its weight-to-strength ratio, he said.
After the commissioning of the KMML Titanium Sponge Plant, India became the seventh country in the world to have the technology to make Titanium Sponge.
ISRO launched its third lunar mission Chandrayaan-3 onboard the heavylift LVM3-M4 rocket at Sriharikota today.
With the Chandrayaan-3 mission, scientists are aiming at mastering soft-landing on the lunar surface, a challenging technical aspect which is planned for August 23.
A successful mission would make India only the fourth country to achieve the rare feat after the United States, China and the former Soviet Union. PTI RRT RRT ANE
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