Produced by: Tarun Mishra
Designed by: Mohsin Shaikh
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced that the Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission-1 (TV-D1), an unmanned test flight, will soon be launched to rigorously test the performance of the Gaganyaan crew escape system
The mission is slated for liftoff on October 21, with a launch window from 7 am to 9 am. The launch site is the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota
The primary objective of this test is to assess the effectiveness of the crew escape system, which is vital for the safety of future human spaceflight missions
According to Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Science and Technology, the test involves the launch of a module into outer space, its controlled re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, and a precise touchdown and recovery in the Bay of Bengal
Jitendra Singh also revealed that the Indian Navy has already begun mock operations to recover the spacecraft module following its re-entry
The Gaganyaan project has an ambitious goal of showcasing India's human spaceflight capabilities. It intends to send a three-member crew to a low Earth orbit of 400 km for a duration of three days before bringing them back safely, with a planned splashdown in the Indian Ocean
ISRO has designated the LVM3 rocket as the launch vehicle for the Gaganyaan mission. This rocket boasts a three-stage design, comprising a solid stage, a liquid stage, and a cryogenic stage, and will play a pivotal role in the upcoming mission
The successful execution of this Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission-1 will mark a critical milestone in India's journey towards achieving human spaceflight capabilities and reinforces ISRO's commitment to advancing space exploration