ISRO to carry out test to validate safety of crew module for Gaganyaan mission by 30 April
New Delhi: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is preparing for another important milestone of the Gaganyaan mission — India’s first human spaceflight. And the first integrated air drop test (IADT) is likely to happen by April end.
“It is likely to happen around 30 April,” ISRO chairperson S. Somanath told ThePrint Tuesday.
As part of the three-day Gaganyaan mission — expected to take flight in 2025 — three astronaut designates will be launched on a low-Earth orbit for 400 km and will be brought back safely to Earth.
ISRO will be carrying out a series of tests to ensure the safety of the crew module and to prepare for its safe recovery. For the first IADT, the crew module will be dropped from an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter from a height of around 4-5 km above ground level.
Senior officials from ISRO said that these tests will confirm the secure recovery of the crew module — where the astronauts will be housed — and ensure safe landing for the astronauts upon their return to Earth.
During the drop, first the stabiliser parachute will be separated, followed by the top cover of the module. The drogue chutes will then be deployed followed by the primary chutes, which will help the crew module make a controlled touchdown. These chutes will control the speed of the crew module at various levels and help it stabilise.
After the integrated air drop tests, the space agency will also be carrying out a series of test vehicle missions, pad abort tests (a trial run for its launch abort system) and two rounds of unmanned flights before the manned mission is finally launched. The unmanned tests are likely to happen by 2024 end.
“The year 2024 is going to be the year of Gaganyaan. Preparations are going on at a satisfactory rate. Unlike other missions, we have to be doubly sure of the safety of the missions,” Somanath had said earlier this year.
Previous test
Four astronaut designates — Indian Air Force group captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, group captain Ajit Krishnan, group captain Angad Pratap, and wing commander Shubhanshu Shukla — have been training extensively for the mission for the past five years in Russian and Indian facilities.
They were awarded the “Antriksh Yatri Pankh” (astronaut wings) by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February. An extra member will be trained as a backup for a contingency situation, as in any human spaceflight.
Last year in October, ISRO had successfully launched the test vehicle development flight (TV-D1) as part of the Gaganyaan programme. This involved simulating an emergency situation to ensure the crew module could safely remove itself from the test vehicle and land in the sea.
The aim of the test flight was to demonstrate and evaluate the sub-systems of the test vehicle and crew escape exercise. Along with this, it also tested various separation systems of the crew module and the demonstration of deceleration systems at a higher altitude, and its recovery.
The liquid-propelled single-stage test vehicle, or TV-D1, uses a modified VIKAS engine with a crew module and crew escape system mounted at its fore-end.
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)
News Related
-
Cloud computing experts, builders, customers, partners, and technology enthusiasts descend on Las Vegas to attend AWS re:Invent event that runs through December 1. Photo: AWS Amazon Web Services, the world’s biggest cloud services provider, has expanded its partnership with technology platform Clarity AI to help investors and consumers advance sustainable ...
See Details:
AWS and Clarity AI to use generative AI to boost sustainable investments
-
Manchester City players appeal to the referee after Ruben Dias’ effort is ruled out for a foul on Alisson Former referee Dermot Gallagher dissects the flashpoints from the latest round of the 2023/24 Premier League season including Manchester City’s disallowed goal against Liverpool and Manchester United’s penalty at Everton. Man ...
See Details:
Ref Watch: 'Enough' of a foul to disallow Man City goal vs Liverpool
-
-
All-rounder Hardik Pandya has been traded to his former franchise Mumbai Indians (MI) from Gujarat Titans with Cameron Green moving from Mumbai to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), the IPL said yesterday. Five-time winners Mumbai got all-rounder Pandya back on his existing player fee of $1.8mn as teams prepare their wish ...
See Details:
Pandya returns to MI, Green goes to RCB
-
KYIV, 28th November, 2023 (WAM) — A winter storm lashed central and southern Ukraine, killing at least five people in Ukraine and three in neighbouring Moldova, with snow and high winds knocking out power to hundreds of towns and villages and shutting highways, Reuters reported. At least 19 people were ...
See Details:
Snowstorm kills eight in Ukraine and Moldova, hundreds of towns lose power
-
-
Empty jars of cream cheese, bottles of juice, torn clothes and scrap wood. These are just some items that double as eye-catching decor in Dubai resident Siddiqa Akhtar’s Furjan townhouse. A veritable upcycled haven, the Pakistani homemaker’s DIY space pays homage to her zero-waste lifestyle. Her creativity is evident from ...
See Details:
Inside a Dubai home with upcycled furniture and zero waste
-
-
Henry Turner of JESS Blues. Defending school champs JESS play a practice match against Dubai Hurricanes ahead of Emirates Dubai Sevens. The Sevens, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National When Jumeirah English Speaking School claimed the Gulf Under-19s title at the Dubai Sevens for the first time 12 months ago ...
See Details:
No Antoine Dupont but Dubai still set to launch new era for sevens
-
Henry Turner of JESS Blues. Defending school champs JESS play a practice match against Dubai Hurricanes ahead of Emirates Dubai Sevens. The Sevens, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National When Jumeirah English Speaking School claimed the Gulf Under-19s title at the Dubai Sevens for the first time 12 months ago ...
See Details:
Why ESG investors are concerned about AI
-
Henry Turner of JESS Blues. Defending school champs JESS play a practice match against Dubai Hurricanes ahead of Emirates Dubai Sevens. The Sevens, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National When Jumeirah English Speaking School claimed the Gulf Under-19s title at the Dubai Sevens for the first time 12 months ago ...
See Details:
Your campsite can harm the environment
-
Henry Turner of JESS Blues. Defending school champs JESS play a practice match against Dubai Hurricanes ahead of Emirates Dubai Sevens. The Sevens, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National When Jumeirah English Speaking School claimed the Gulf Under-19s title at the Dubai Sevens for the first time 12 months ago ...
See Details:
Mubadala, Saudi Fund deals on US radar for potential China angle
-
Henry Turner of JESS Blues. Defending school champs JESS play a practice match against Dubai Hurricanes ahead of Emirates Dubai Sevens. The Sevens, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National When Jumeirah English Speaking School claimed the Gulf Under-19s title at the Dubai Sevens for the first time 12 months ago ...
See Details:
Abu Dhabi T10 season seven to kick off with thrilling double-header
-
Henry Turner of JESS Blues. Defending school champs JESS play a practice match against Dubai Hurricanes ahead of Emirates Dubai Sevens. The Sevens, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National When Jumeirah English Speaking School claimed the Gulf Under-19s title at the Dubai Sevens for the first time 12 months ago ...
See Details:
Eight climate fiction, or cli-fi, books to consider before Cop28
OTHER NEWS
Fantic Stealth 125 and Imola Concept The Italian manufacturer’s sporty offerings are designed to appeal to the beginner segment. The 125cc segment, pretty much non-existent in the US market, is ...
Read more »
Valencia orange image Perspective from Roseane M Silva Master in Health Sciences, Bachelor in Nutrition · 7 years of experience · Brazil Possible Side Effects People who are allergic to ...
Read more »
Leading grocery delivery company Kibsons says it is already answering the call for greener production processes as food security and sourcing enter the Cop28 spotlight later this month. The UAE ...
Read more »
AMMAN — The government on Wednesday endorsed the draft general budget law for 2024 with estimated public revenues of JD10.3 billion, marking an increase of 8.9 per cent compared with ...
Read more »
AMMAN — The new forecasted capital expenditure for the fiscal year 2024 stands at JD73.317 million, according to the 2024 public budget draft law. The government allocated JD1.729 billion as ...
Read more »
AMMAN — The post World War I period marks the beginning of scholarly research in Jordan. During the British Mandate in Jordan, the Department of Antiquities in Amman was founded ...
Read more »
The Sharjah City Municipality has issued a set of guidelines for the use of cosmetic products in hair salons and beauty centres. The authority urges salons to stick to these ...
Read more »