ISRO shares images of crew module for Gaganyaan mission.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is gearing up to conduct unmanned test flights for the ambitious Gaganyaan mission, which aims to demonstrate India’s human spaceflight capabilities. ISRO has also shared images of the crew module that will house the astronauts during the mission.
“ISRO to commence unmanned flight tests for the Gaganyaan mission. Preparations for the Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission-1 (TV-D1), which demonstrates the performance of the Crew Escape System, are underway,” the space agency said in an X post along with the crew module images.
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What is Gaganyaan mission?
The primary objective of the Gaganyaan mission is to launch a crew of three members into an orbit 400 kilometres above Earth’s surface for a three-day mission, safely returning them to Earth by landing in the Indian Sea waters. This mission is slated to take place next year.
What is the crew module?
The Crew Module (CM) plays a critical role in ensuring the astronauts’ safety and comfort during the Gaganyaan mission. ISRO has reported that the CM for the mission is progressing through various stages of development.
For the Test Vehicle Abort Mission-1 (TV-D1), an unpressurised version of the CM has completed integration and testing, ready for transportation to the launch complex. This unpressurised CM version mirrors the size and mass of the actual Gaganyaan CM and contains all the necessary systems for deceleration and recovery.
After touchdown in the Bay of Bengal, the Crew Module will be retrieved using a dedicated vessel and a team of divers from the Indian Navy.
The development of the first Test Vehicle (TV-D1) is in its final stages. This single-stage liquid rocket is specifically designed for the abort mission. The payloads onboard include the Crew Module (CM) and Crew Escape Systems (CES) with fast-acting solid motors, along with the CM fairing (CMF) and Interface Adapters.
The success of this crucial test flight will pave the way for subsequent qualification tests and unmanned missions, ultimately leading to the inaugural Gaganyaan mission with Indian astronauts.
For this historic mission, ISRO has selected personnel from the Indian Air Force, and their training is currently ongoing at the Astronaut Training Facility in Bengaluru.
The training encompasses a wide range of disciplines, including classroom instruction, physical fitness training, simulator training, and flight suit training, the space agency said.