Gaganyaan: India launches test flight ahead of sending man into space

After what seemed like a rough start, the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) successfully performed the first test vehicle development flight (TV-D1) for India's first human space flight Gaganyaan.

The brief test flight sequence launched the Crew Escape System (CES) and crew module at an altitude of 17 km followed by a safe touchdown in the sea, about 10 km from Sriharikota in the Bay of Bengal.

"Mission Gaganyaan: TV-D1 Test Flight is accomplished. Crew Escape System performed as intended. Mission Gaganyaan gets off on a successful note," Isro said in a statement.

The lift-off was postponed twice from its initial launch time (8am) and was later temporarily put on hold five seconds before the lift-off due to a technical anomaly, which was rectified immediately before the take-off.

The lift-off started off to a rough start with the launch time first being pushed to 8.30am and then to 8.45am from the initially planned 8am slot due to unfavourable weather conditions. However, the systems were rectified soon and the launch was then rescheduled for 10am.

The three main parachutes of Gaganyaan TV-D1 were deployed minutes after the successful test vehicle launch.

"I am very happy to announce the successful accomplishment of the TV-D1 Mission. The purpose of this mission was to demonstrate the crew escape system for the Gaganyaan programme," Isro chief S Somanath said soon after the splash.

The Indian Air Force (AIF) and the Indian Navy are working with ISRO for the ambitious Gaganyaan programme

"IAF is looking forward to the Gaganyaan Mission. We know our boys are in safe hands," the Indian Airforce said in a statement after the successful test flight.

Union home minister Amit Shah hailed the successful launch of the Gaganyaan's TV-D1 test flight, saying it has scripted India's another remarkable space odyssey.

"Kudos #ISRO, for successfully accomplishing maiden Test Vehicle Flight TV-D1. This is the first step in the last leg of journey towards India's Crewed Human Spacecraft mission #Gaganyaan. In the enabling milieu provided by PM Sh @narendramodi, @ISRO achieving one success after the other…and the next important one is the #Gaganyaan," Union minister of state for science & technology Dr Jitendra Singh wrote on Twitter congratulating the Isro team.

The aim of the test flight is to demonstrate and evaluate the sub-systems of the test vehicle, crew escape systems, including various separation systems, to conduct crew module characteristics and the demonstration of deceleration systems at higher altitude and its recovery.

The liquid-propelled single-stage test vehicle, or TV-D1, uses a modified VIKAS engine with a crew module and crew escape system mounted at its foreend.

The crew module would later be retrieved by the Navy from the Bay of Bengal.

"Indian Navy team will lead the recovery of TV-D1 crew module after touchdown, approximately 10 km from Sriharikota coast. Recovery ships positioned at a safe range in sea waters will approach the crew module and a team of divers will attach a buoy, hoist the crew module using a ship crane and bring it to the shore," the test flight brochure added.

The Gaganyaan, India's first human spaceflight mission, envisages to demonstration of human spaceflight capability by launching a crew of three members to an orbit of 400km for a three-day mission and bringing them back safely.

Leading up to the actual manned mission, the space agency will be conducting several rounds of tests to ensure the systems are safe to carry and bring back astronauts safely to Earth.

After the TV-D1 test flight demonstration, the space agency will also be carrying out a test flight with a robot, 'Vyomitra', a humanoid astronaut, and an unmanned flight before the manned mission, possibly scheduled for 2025, according to officials from the department of space.

The prerequisites for the Gaganyaan mission include the development of many critical technologies including a human-rated launch vehicle for carrying the crew safely to space, a life support system to provide an earth-like environment to the crew in space, crew emergency escape provision and evolving crew management aspects for training, recovery and rehabilitation of crew.

For test flight, the crew escape system consists of five types of quick-acting solid motors namely crew escape system jettisoning motor (CJM), high-altitude escape motor (HEM), low-altitude escape motor (LEM), low-altitude pitch motor (LPM) and high-altitude pitch motor (HPM), which generate required acceleration for varying mission requirements.