Gaganyaan : The Case
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is all set to take us to the skies and this time in SPACE, with a manned mission, named Gaganyaan (meaning SKY VEHICLE). This is set to take humans to space in December 2024. The space agency also said that they will soon start unmanned flight tests for the mission.
The Gaganyaan project will demonstrate India’s capability of taking a crew of two to three members to a circular orbit of about 400 kms around the earth for a one-to-three days mission and bring them back safely to earth, by landing at a designated location in Indian sea waters.
The world now knows about India being the SPACE SUPERPOWER, which has been setting up many records for space missions, deploying satellites more than 100 in one shot in a single day, carrying many countries satellites and deploying with cent percent success rates.
The success of Gaganyaan test flight will set the stage for the remaining qualification tests and unmanned missions, leading to the first Gaganyaan mission with Indian astronauts, ISRO said.
The space agency in latest release regarding the First Crew Module for Gaganyaan test flight said that the first development flight Test Vehicle (TV-D1) is in final stages of its preparation.
“The Test Vehicle is a single-stage liquid rocket developed for this abort mission. The payload consist of the Crew Module (CM) and Crew Escape Systems (CES) with their fast-acting solid motors, along with CM fairing (CMF) and Interface Adapters. This flight is to simulate the abort condition during the ascent trajectory corresponding to a Mach number of 1.2 encountered in the Gaganyaan mission,” the latest release said.
The Crew Module after integration underwent various electrical testing, at ISRO’s facility in Bengaluru, including an acoustic test and was dispatched to SDSC-SHAR on August 13, the statement from the sources added.
Astronauts have already been selected and are currently under training for the coming mission.
Being from IAF, the four are:
- Group Captain Prashant Nayyar
- Group Captain Ajith Krishnan
- Group Captain Angad Pratap
- Wing Commander Shubhangu Shukla
See the tweet from ISRO official handle on X :
https://x.com/Gaganyaan_Isro/status/1175378016479789056?s=20
Credits : ISRO on X
Video Credits : NDTV
The Training Grounds: Astronaut’s Training Facility in Bengaluru
The chosen astronauts have been undergoing intensive training at ISRO’s astronaut’s training facility in Bengaluru. This facility has state-of-the-art equipment and simulators, providing a realistic and comprehensive training environment.
This training program is designed to equip the astronauts with the necessary skills and knowledge for the mission, covering various topics, including physical fitness, emergency responses, spacecraft operations, and intense training on survival in space.
The International Collaboration: Training with NASA and ROSCOSMOS
The Gaganyaan mission also has benefited from international collaborations. ISRO has signed an MoU with Glavkosmos, a Russian space agency Roscosmos subsidiary, for astronaut training. The chosen astronauts underwent training at Russia’s Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre.
Moreover, an agreement with NASA will allow one Indian astronaut to receive training for a mission to the International Space Station (ISS), providing valuable experience and knowledge that can be applied to the Gaganyaan mission.
The Spacecraft: Gaganyaan
A completely autonomous vehicle, the Gaganyaan spacecraft can transport a crew of two to three astronauts. The spacecraft comprises a service module and a crew module. The service module includes the propulsion and power systems, while the crew module provides living and working space for the astronauts.
The spacecraft is equipped with a life support system, a crew escape system, and a thermal protection system, ensuring the safety and well-being of the crew throughout the mission.
The Return Journey: A Safe Re-entry and Splashdown
Following the completion of the mission, the Gaganyaan spacecraft will de-celerate and re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere. The spacecraft’s heat shield will protect it from the intense heat generated during re-entry. Subsequently, the spacecraft will deploy parachutes to slow its descent further.
The final stages of the mission involves a splashdown in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Gujarat. The crew will be quickly retrieved by the there deployed recovery teams, marking the successful closure of the Gaganyaan mission.
New technologies being developed for Gaganyaan
Human safety is of paramount importance in Gaganyaan mission. In order to ensure the same, various new technologies comprising of Engineering systems and Human centric systems are being developed and realized.
Related blogs at : https://newsith.com/category/technology/
