Recently, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully executed the Test Flight Abort Mission, for the Gaganyaan mission.
What’s the test mission about?
The TV-D1 mission lasted a total of just 532 seconds from its lift-off and the crew module splashdown about 10 km from the Sriharikota coast.
During the test flight, the rocket lifted off to an altitude of almost 17 km before the abort signal was initiated, resulting in the separation of the crew module. The crew module then descended through parachutes with a splashdown in the Bay of Bengal.
What were the objectives of the TV-D1 launch?
The mission objectives of the TV-D1 launch were Flight demonstration and evaluation of Test Vehicle subsystems; flight demonstration and evaluation of the Crew Escape System including various separation systems; crew module characteristics; and deceleration system demonstration at higher altitudes and its recovery.
Why is the test flight important?
This test flight is among the two abort missions of the ISRO to check the safety mechanisms for the Gaganyaan crew in case of an emergency. The successful separation of the crew module from the launch vehicle ensured that the astronauts could escape during a mid-flight emergency (abort mission).
The crew module is the capsule inside which the astronauts will be seated during the Gaganyaan mission.
The success of this test flight will set the stage for the remaining qualification tests and unmanned missions, leading to the first Gaganyaan mission with Indian astronauts.
About ISRO’s Gaganyaan Mission
The ambitious ISRO’s mission has been developed at a cost of around ₹90 billion.
It aims to send the astronauts to an orbit of 400km (248 miles) and bring them back after three days.
If it succeeds, India will become only the fourth country to send a human into space after the Soviet Union, the US and China.
A successful Gaganyaan Mission may help ISRO to achieve its goal to send its first crewed mission to the moon by 2040.
The country is creating a road map for lunar exploration, which will involve a series of missions.
