ISRO is about to script history and everyone wants to know the answer to this question: Where is the Gaganyaan mission going? Well, the Gaganyaan mission is all about going to space and taking 3 astronauts along in a spacecraft. During the test, the rocket will ascend to an altitude of nearly 17 kilometers before triggering an abort signal. Before the Gaganyaan mission does that, ISRO is testing its crafts and systems deployed so that if something goes wrong, the Indian astronauts can be saved. And that is what the Gaganyaan mission test flight launch is all about.
The primary objective of this Gaganyaan mission test on Saturday is to determine whether the crew can safely escape the rocket in the event of a malfunction or emergency. So, again, where is Gaganyaan mission going ultimately? The grand ISRO vision is to send a crewed mission into low Earth orbit and that is projected to take place around 2025.
Its ultimate goal is to send astronauts into an orbit about 400 kilometers (248 miles) above Earth and bring them back safely after a three-day mission. Success in this endeavor would make India the fourth nation, after the Soviet Union, the United States, and China, to achieve human spaceflight.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is gearing up for this historic moment in its space exploration journey with the highly anticipated Gaganyaan mission. Scheduled for launch at 08:00 local time on a Saturday from Sriharikota, ISRO is set to conduct a critical test of the Crew Escape System (CES). This Gaganyaan mission test, named Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission-1 (TV-D1), plays a pivotal role in ensuring the safety of future Gaganyaan astronauts or Gaganauts.
Gaganyaan Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission-1 (TV-D1) Objective
The primary objective of this test is to determine whether the crew can safely escape the rocket in the event of a malfunction or emergency. If successful, it will pave the way for a series of other essential missions, including sending an unmanned spacecraft into space next year.
The Gaganyaan project, which derives its name from the Sanskrit word for “craft or vehicle to the sky,” has been a significant investment for India. Gaganyaan mission cost is about 90 billion rupees (approximately $1 billion).
Where will the Test Flight go?
The upcoming Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission-1 will demonstrate the Crew Escape System’s performance. It’s the first of two abort missions designed to test the safety mechanisms that will enable the Gaganyaan crew to evacuate the spacecraft during an emergency. During the test, the rocket will ascend to an altitude of nearly 17 kilometers before triggering an abort signal. This will lead to the separation of the crew module, which will descend using a parachute, eventually splashing down in the Bay of Bengal.
According to ISRO, the meticulous planning includes deploying a series of parachutes to ensure a safe descent, with the Indian Navy stationed at a safe distance with a ship and a team of divers ready to recover the module. The “short duration” test is expected to last about nine minutes.
This significant step will not only pave the way for future manned missions but also aid in India’s pursuit of space exploration. With cameras and instruments fitted to the craft, ISRO plans to gather critical data and images that will contribute to future tests and the culmination of the Gaganyaan mission.
Source: tech.hindustantimes.com
