ISRO has announced the commencement of unmanned flight tests for the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission. The first test, named Test Vehicle Development Flight (TV-D1), is scheduled for launch from Sriharikota spaceport on October 21, 2023, between 7 am and 9 am. Following the TV-D1 test, three more test vehicle missions (D2, D3, D4) are planned under the Gaganyaan program.
The TV-D1 mission aims to demonstrate the performance of the crew escape system and the crew module, which will carry Indian astronauts during the human spaceflight scheduled for the following year. The test involves launching an unmanned crew module into outer space and recovering it in the Bay of Bengal. The Crew Escape System will be separated from the Test Vehicle at an altitude of about 17 km, followed by an autonomous abort sequence deploying parachutes, leading to the safe touchdown of the Crew Module about 10 km from the Sriharikota coast.
The Crew Module for the TV-D1 mission is an unpressurized version equipped with a complete set of parachutes, recovery aids actuation systems, and pyros. Its avionics systems are configured in a dual redundant mode for various functions, and the module is extensively instrumented to capture flight data for evaluation.
Overall, these unmanned flight tests are significant steps in ISRO’s mission to demonstrate India’s capabilities in human spaceflight and mark a significant milestone in the country’s space exploration efforts.
Image Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/isro-to-conduct-first-test-flight-of-gaganyaan-mission-on-october-21/article67404697.ece
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