TCS & Rolls-Royce achieve milestone in hydrogen propulsion programme

The companies demonstrated the operation of a modern aero gas turbine across a fully simulated flight cycle using 100 per cent hydrogen, including take-off and landing

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Rolls-Royce, a British multinational specialising in civil aerospace, defence aerospace, services and power systems, have achieved a major milestone in the hydrogen propulsion programme. In an industry first, TCS and Rolls-Royce demonstrated the successful operation of a modern aero gas turbine across a fully simulated flight cycle using 100 per cent hydrogen.

 

The test is the culmination of a four-year programme to prove hydrogen's potential as a future aviation fuel. Operated using 100 per cent hydrogen, the modified engine successfully completed a flight cycle demonstration, including take-off, cruise and landing.

 

The programme was first announced by Rolls-Royce and easyJet in 2022. TCS joined the programme in 2024, bringing its engineering and technology capabilities in the areas of development, testing and validation.

 

Adam Newman, chief engineer, Hydrogen Demonstrator Programme, Rolls-Royce, said, "The programme marks an important milestone in our journey towards more sustainable aviation. Through a rigorous and carefully staged testing approach, we have gained valuable insights into how 100 per cent hydrogen behaves in a modern aero gas turbine across a full flight cycle while validating critical combustion, fuel and control system technologies."

 

As Rolls-Royce's engineering partner, TCS provided engineering expertise that helped fast-track the development, testing and successful delivery of the hydrogen propulsion programme. TCS supported Rolls-Royce in critical areas including fuel system and engine controls integration, hydrogen combustion analysis, test preparation, validation, data analytics, risk management, and detailed design.

 

Anupam Singhal, president – manufacturing, Tata Consultancy Services, said, "This milestone reflects what becomes possible when advanced engineering is combined with digital capabilities and deep ecosystem collaboration to move breakthrough innovation closer to the real world."

 

Aviation currently accounts for approximately 2–3 per cent of global CO₂ emissions, and hydrogen-powered propulsion technologies have the potential to eliminate in-flight CO₂ emissions when deployed at scale. The success of this demonstration marks a significant step towards enabling lower-carbon aviation. The demonstration brought together expertise from across the aviation ecosystem, with Rolls-Royce and TCS working alongside easyJet, NASA, the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE), and other industry partners to bring hydrogen-powered flight a step closer to reality.