21.10.2023
India tests launch escape system in step towards sending astronauts to orbit
Liftoff of the TV-D1 test vehicle carrying a Crew Module for a Crew Escape System test, Oct. 21, 2023. Credit: ISRO
HELSINKI — India took a step towards independent human spaceflight capabilities early Saturday with a successful uncrewed emergency escape system test.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched a liquid-propellant single-stage Test Vehicle Demonstration 1 (TV-D1) from Satish Dhawan Space Center at 12:30 a.m. Eastern, Oct. 21.
The test vehicle launched the unpressurized test version of the Gaganyaan crew module (CM). The Crew Escape System (CES) separated from the test vehicle 61 seconds after liftoff at an altitude of 11.9 kilometers, traveling just beyond the speed of sound.
The CM separated from the CES at 16.9 km while traveling at 550 kilometers per hour. A drogue parachute was then deployed to slow descent of the CM.
The CM descended into the sea using its main parachute once below 2.5 km. The CM was then recovered by teams in the Bay of Bengal, around 10 km off the island of Sriharikota.
“I am very happy to announce the successful accomplishment of the TV-D1 mission,” S Somanath, ISRO chairman, said after the launch.
The test verified that motors can safely carry a crew away from the launch vehicle in the case of emergency. A first attempt went into a hold five seconds out from the scheduled launch time triggered by sensor data from the launch vehicle.
India hopes to launch its Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission in 2025, following further tests. This includes three uncrewed orbital test flights of the Gaganyaan Crew Module starting in 2024.
A successful crewed mission would see the nation join Russia, the United States and China as the only countries to have achieved independent human spaceflight capabilities. Astronauts are already in training for the mission.
ISRO has suffered numerous delays in the Gaganyaan program. It stated in 2018, following announcement of the program, that it planned its first uncrewed launch for December 2020. The outbreak of COVID-19 added to struggles to follow the schedule.
The Saturday test however follows a series of successes and policy shifts in 2023. India became the fourth country to soft-land on the moon on Aug. 23 with its Chandrayaan-3 mission. The successful launch of Aditya-L1, India’s first solar observatory, followed Sept. 2. The spacecraft is currently heading to Sun-Earth Lagrange point 1.
India Prime Minister this week announced the target of 2040 to get astronauts onto the moon. It also plans a space station around 2035. The country also aims to make itself a space industry hub following reforms this year to allow greater space for commercial endeavors and foreign investment in the space sector.
Gaganyaan mission: 'Crew module is in safe hands of Indian Navy,' says ISRO
Gaganyaan mission: The Gaganyaan project envisages a demonstration of human spaceflight capability by launching a crew of three members into an orbit of 400 km for a 3-day mission and bringing them safely back to earth by landing in Indian waters.
Crew module of Gaganyaan is in safe hands of Indian Navy: ISRO
Gaganyaan mission: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) informed that the crew module of the Gaganyaan mission is in the safe hands of the Indian Navy. ISRO today (October 21) successfully executed the Test Flight Abort Mission, for the Gaganyaan mission after the first test flight was aborted at around 8:45 am due to a problem in the engine ignition.
Earlier, ISRO briefly aborted the launch of the first uncrewed test flight (TV-D1 Flight Test) in the Gaganyaan Mission.
ISRO chief S Somanath on Gaganyaan mission:
On the Gaganyaan mission test flight, ISRO chief S Somanath said, "The Crew Module has been fully recovered from the sea. There has been no anomaly. All data looks very good. A series of missions-20 tests have to be done. Today's test was for the crew escape system."
The space agency then said that the errors have been identified and corrected and the second launch was scheduled for 10:00 Hrs today. This Flight test vehicle Abort mission is conducted to demonstrate the performance of the Crew escape system as part of the Gaganyaan mission. The mission objectives of the TV-D1 launch are- Flight demonstration and evaluation of Test Vehicle subsystems; flight demonstration and evaluation of Crew Escape System including various separation systems; crew module characteristics; and deceleration system demonstration at higher altitudes and its recovery.
The Test Vehicle is a single-stage liquid rocket developed for this abort mission. The payloads consist of the Crew Module (CM) and Crew Escape Systems (CES) with their fast-acting solid motors, along with CM fairing (CMF) and Interface Adapters. This flight simulated the abort condition during the ascent trajectory corresponding to a Mach number of 1.2 encountered in the Gaganyaan mission. This mission represents a significant milestone in India's effort to demonstrate that it is possible to send humans into space.
The Gaganyaan project envisages a demonstration of human spaceflight capability by launching a crew of three members into an orbit of 400 km for a 3-day mission and bringing them safely back to earth by landing in Indian waters. This programme will make India the fourth nation to launch a manned spaceflight mission after the US, Russia, and China.
Building on the success of the Indian space initiatives, including the recent Chandrayan-3 and Aditya L1 missions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi directed that India should now aim for new and ambitious goals, including setting up 'Bharatiya Antariksha Station' (Indian Space Station) by 2035 and sending the first Indian to the Moon by 2040.
Quelle: INDIA TV