ISRO’s test crew escape system: First human space flight mission Gaganyaan
Indian Space Research Organisation, ISRO launched the first of a series of test flights for the Gaganyaan Mission 2025. The test flight was launched from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh on October 21.
While discussing on the significance of the First Development Flight of the Gaganyaan project, Senior Scientist from Vigyan Prasar, Dr TV Venkateshwaran said, ISRO is thinking that we are looking at the launch of Gaganyaan with the human Gaganyaan Mission somewhere in 2025.
The first mission is essentially to demonstrate technology demonstration. There may not be any great scientific or other work that will be coming out of it but that will demonstrate that all your systems are working. Your crew module is functioning fine. You are able to send the human being to space and then bring them back safely. That’s really the main goal of the Gaganyaan 1.
Later you will think of experiments which can be carried out in space and only in space because in space you are in what is called as microgravity that is basically you are in a situation of weightlessness. So there are a number of very interesting experiments that you can carry out there. So a lot of such experiments one can do in space, learn about things and then how materials behave and so on. Those kind of work will take place in the future.
Gaganyaan project envisages demonstration of human spaceflight capability by launching crew of 3 members to an orbit of 400 km for a 3 days mission and bring them back safely to earth, by landing in Indian sea waters. The project is accomplished through an optimal strategy by considering inhouse expertise, experience of Indian industry, intellectual capabilities of Indian academia & research institutions along with cutting edge technologies available with international agencies.
The pre-requisites for Gaganyaan mission include development of many critical technologies including human rated launch vehicle for carrying crew safely to space, Life Support System to provide an earth like environment to crew in space, crew emergency escape provision and evolving crew management aspects for training, recovery and rehabilitation of crew.
Various precursor missions are planned for demonstrating the Technology Preparedness Levels before carrying out the actual Human Space Flight mission. These demonstrator missions include Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT), Pad Abort Test (PAT) and Test Vehicle (TV) flights. Safety and reliability of all systems will be proven in unmanned missions preceding manned mission.
Senior Scientist Dr TV Venkateshwaran also talks about sending Indian astronauts to space. He said, around 19 people were identified in the initial round they were given initial training and then after screening the numbers got reduced step by step and then finally now around four people are in intensive training. ISRO has also established some training facilities in Bangalore. The further training will also take place now and within these four, few of them will be selected finally for going on the main mission.
