The TV-D1 Mission was successfully completed, and the Crew Escape System worked as planned, according to an ISRO announcement on X.
On October 21, ISRO scientists successfully separated the crew module and crew escape on the Gaganyaan mission by precisely launching the rocket carrying payloads related to crew safety from Sriharikota. This achievement came after a two-hour delay and some nerve-wracking moments when the engine of TV-D1 failed to ignite initially.
“The engine must ignite within the specified time frame. We need to investigate the reason behind that. After analyzing what set off the vehicle’s automated launch process, we’ll be back soon. Thus, in light of the abnormality noticed, the launch has been delayed by the onboard computer performing the function, according to Chief S. Somanath.
“The launcher is secure. We must get to the car and investigate the situation. We’ll ascertain the cause of the anomaly and set a launch date as soon as possible,” he continued. Even more, Somanath stated that the revised launch date would be disclosed later, following the conclusion of the analysis.
Following the crew escape module’s successful touchdown, Chief Somanath praised the scientists.
Using a similar failsafe strategy, ISRO was able to make history with Chandrayaan-3, which allowed India to land closer to the Moon’s south pole in August. But this time, since real lives are at stake, the stakes are much higher.
The crew module escape system of Gaganyaan will undergo a live test from Sriharikota. Of the twenty major tests that ISRO has scheduled for the near future, this is the first. All in an attempt to fulfill Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s goal of having Indian astronauts land on the moon by 2040 and an Indian space station established by ISRO by 2035.
GAGANYAAN
The goal of the Gaganyaan project is to demonstrate the capability of human spaceflight by sending a three-person crew into a 400-kilometer orbit for a three-day trip, and then safely returning them to Earth by landing in Indian Ocean waters.
The project is completed using the best possible approach, taking into account internal knowledge, industry experience from India, the intellectual prowess of Indian academia and research institutes, and state-of-the-art technologies that are accessible through foreign organizations.
The development of several essential technologies, such as a human-rated launch vehicle that can safely carry a crew into space, a life support system that can give the crew an environment similar to Earth while they are in orbit, emergency escape plans for the crew, and evolving crew management practices for crew training, recovery, and rehabilitation, are prerequisites for the Gaganyaan mission.
The mission defines “In-flight Abort Demonstration of Crew Escape System (CES)” using the recently created Test Vehicle at Mach 1.2, followed by the safe separation and recovery of the Crew Module.
Gaganyaan Objectives
- Subsystems of the Test Vehicle are evaluated and demonstrated in flight.
- Crew Escape System evaluation and flight demonstration, incorporating multiple separation mechanisms.
- Features of the crew module, a demonstration of the deceleration systems at a higher altitude, and its recovery.
Gaganyaan Highlights
| TV Mission Pillbox |
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| CM-CES separation |
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| Drogue Parachute deployment |
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| Main Parachute |
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LVM3 & HLVM3
The ISRO’s well-reliable and well-proven LVM3 rocket has been selected as the launch vehicle for the Gaganyaan mission. There are three stages in total: solid, liquid, and cryogenic. The LVM3 launch vehicle has been renamed Human Rated LVM3 after all of its systems were modified to satisfy human rating standards. The Orbital Module will be able to be launched by HLVM3 into a 400 km Low Earth Orbit.
In the event of an emergency at the launch pad or during the ascent phase, the Crew Escape System (CES) powered by a series of fast acting, high burn rate solid motors guarantees that the Crew Module and crew are removed to a safe distance as part of HLVM3.
The Crew Training
A Bengaluru-based Astronaut instruction Facility offers classroom, flight suit, simulator, and physical fitness instruction. The training modules include academic courses, instruction on Gaganyaan flight systems, aero-medical training, recovery and survival training, microgravity familiarization through parabolic flights, mastery of flight procedures, and crew training simulator training. As additional components of the training are yoga, periodic flying, and aeromedical.
Appreciations for Gaganyaan
The successful test vehicle launch by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) as part of the Gaganyaan mission, according to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, brings India one step closer to completing its first human space flight program.
“This launch takes us one step closer to realizing India’s first human space flight program, Gaganyaan,” he wrote in a post on X. “Warm regards to our esteemed scientists at ISRO.”
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