In an exciting development, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Indian Navy have progressed to the second phase of the Gaganyaan mission's crew module recovery trial operations. This significant milestone marks a crucial step forward in India's ambitious project to demonstrate human spaceflight capability.
ISRO and Indian navy performs harbour trails in Vishakapattanam of Gaganyaan Crew module as a part of Test trail
The recent harbour trials took place at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam, where a Crew Module Mockup (CMRM) was employed to accurately simulate mass and shape conditions. The CMRM played a vital role in the testing process, ensuring that recovery procedures were meticulously evaluated under realistic conditions.
The Gaganyaan mission aims to send a three-member crew into a 400km orbit for a three-day mission and safely bring them back to Earth, with a planned landing in the Indian sea waters. To achieve this goal, various recovery stages were simulated during the trials, encompassing the attachment of the recovery buoy, towing, handling, and lifting of the crew module onto the ship deck. These simulations effectively demonstrated the teams' preparedness for the mission.
Drawing from experiences gained during the phase-1 trials at the Water Survival Training Facility (WSTF) in Kochi, ISRO fine-tuned their Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure a seamless and safe recovery process for the crew module.
Furthermore, ISRO achieved another critical milestone with the successful Gaganyaan Service Module Propulsion System (SMPS) test at IPRC, Mahendragiri. This test involved the utilization of five liquid apogee motor (LAM) engines and sixteen reaction control system (RCS) thrusters, which will provide the necessary thrust for various orbital manoeuvres and abort scenarios during the ascent phase of the mission.
It's important to note that the Gaganyaan mission consists of three missions before the manned mission takes place. The first mission will be unmanned, followed by a mission carrying a robot on board, and finally, the manned mission itself. The entire mission is scheduled to begin at the end of 2024.
With the successful launch of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, the focus has shifted towards the eagerly anticipated soft landing attempt scheduled for August 23. The insights gained from this lunar exploration mission will provide valuable information for the upcoming Gaganyaan mission.
As the ISRO and the Indian Navy press ahead with the Gaganyaan project, the nation eagerly awaits witnessing yet another remarkable feat in space exploration – a testament to India's growing presence in the field of space science and technology
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