Gaganyaan Testing Commences - ISRO Chairman K. Sivan

     

     India's flagship GAGANYAAN project has completed the design phase and has entered into the testing phase. Tests are in progress for human rated Ll 10 Vikas engine, Cryogenic stage, Crew escape system motors and service module propulsion system. S200 motor has been realized for ground test too. Main parachute drop test has also commenced. Astronauts have completed the generic spaceflight training abroad. The Indian leg of mission specific training has also commenced. A comprehensive training plan has been worked out and state-of-the art accommodation cum training facility has been established for the same. There is a directive to launch the first unmanned mission before 75th anniversary of India's independence and all the stake-holders are putting their best effort to meet the schedule. I am sure that we will be able to meet this target.

Crew Module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment

 

    On 13 February 2014, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited handed over the first boilerplate prototype of Crew Module structural assembly to ISRO for Crew Module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment (CARE). ISRO's Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre would equip the Crew Module with systems necessary for life support, navigation, guidance and control systems.

    ISRO undertook an uncrewed test launch of the vehicle aboard the GSLV Mark III X1, for an experimental sub-orbital flight on 18 December 2014. The GSLV Mk3 launcher with a dummy upper cryogenic stage (filled with liquid nitrogen to simulate weight of fuel) was launched at 9:30 a.m. from the second launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota.

    The crew module separated from the rocket at an altitude of 126 km. On board motors controlled and reduced the speed of the module until an altitude of 80 km (50 mi). Thrusters were shut off at that altitude and atmospheric drag further reduced speed of the capsule.

    The module heat shield was expected to experience temperature in excess of 1,600 °C (2,910 °F). Parachutes were deployed at an altitude of 15 km (9.3 mi) to slow down the module which performed a splashdown in the Bay of Bengal near Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

    This flight was used to test orbital injection, separation and re-entry procedures and systems of the Crew Capsule. Also tested were the capsule separation, heat shields and aerobraking systems, deployment of parachute, retro-firing, splashdown, flotation systems and procedures to recover the Crew Capsule from the Bay of Bengal. Inflight launch abort and parachute tests are expected to be conducted by the end of 2019.

 

Pad Abort Test

       

    The Indian Space Research Organisation's Pad Abort Test was conducted successfully on 5 July 2018. As of September 2021, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) is integrating a test vehicle to conduct an unmanned flight test of Crew Escape System (CES) before the official launch of Gaganyaan mission. The test vehicle will be ready by the end of 2021.

Long duration hot test - Vikas engine

 

    On July 14, 2021 ISRO conducted third long duration hot test of Vikas engine for core L110 liquid stage of GSLV Mark III at ISRO Propulsion Complex as part of engine qualification requirement of Gaganyaan mission. The engine was successfully test fired for a duration of 240 seconds validating all the required performance parameters.

    The Vikas engine is used to power the second stage of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), boosters and second stage of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mark I and II and also the core stage of GSLV Mark III. The propellant loading for Vikas engine in PSLV, GSLV Mark I and II is 40 tons, while in GSLV Mark III is 55 tons.

Service Module Propulsion System

    ISRO on 28 August 2021 successfully tested System Demonstration Model (SDM) of Service Module Propulsion System (SMPS) that will be integrated into Gaganyaan spacecraft. During on ground testing at ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), SDM was fired for a duration of 450 seconds which matched the pre-test prediction data using five main engines and eight RCS thrusters. Each 440 N thrust engine will also be tested individually for longer duration involving various parameters to gain human-rating certification.