Gaganyaan test mission successful, crew escape module touches down in Bay of Bengal
The system will ensure that the astronauts safely return to earth if there is an emergency during the crewed launch in 2025.
The Indian Space Research Organisation’s first test flight for its Gaganyaan mission launched at 10 am from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh’s Sriharikota after an initial glitch.
The maiden Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission aims to demonstrate a crew escape system, reported the Hindustan Times. The module successfully touched down in the Bay Bengal minutes after the launch. It was recovered by the Indian Navy using a vessel and diving team.
The Gaganyaan mission is aimed at launching humans into space and placing them in a Low Earth Orbit at an altitude of 400 kilometres for a three-day mission.
The escape system will ensure that the astronauts safely return if there is an emergency during the actual crew mission launch, which is scheduled for 2025.
#WATCH | Gaganyaan’s First Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission-1 (TV-D1) launch put on hold at 5 seconds
— ANI (@ANI) October 21, 2023
ISRO chief S Somnath says, "The lift-off attempt could not happen today...engine ignition has not happened in the nominal course" pic.twitter.com/4eLOyhAZ6c
The test was originally scheduled for a take-off at 8 am but it was halted.
“Test vehicle lift-off could not happen today,” ISRO chief S Somanath said, reported the Hindustan Times. “Engine ignition has not happened in the nominal course. We have to find out what went wrong; vehicle is safe.”
The test was then rescheduled for 10 am after the issue was resolved.
#WATCH | Gaganyaan Mission: After the successful touch down of the crew escape module, ISRO chief S Somanath congratulates scientists pic.twitter.com/YQp6FZWXec
— ANI (@ANI) October 21, 2023
What went wrong
Somnath later explained that the launch was put on hold after the ground computer detected non-conformance with the engine to continue with thrusting, reported The Indian Express. “This happened due to an anomaly in the system,” he said. “We could identify it very fast and correct it.”
Somnath said that after this, the vehicle was refilled with gas. The team then went through the proper Automatic Launch Sequence, which checked every health component of the vehicle and the mission computer. The ground check-up computer authorised the launch for take-off.
This “released the rocket from the launch pad and subsequently, the activities of the flight and the post-termination abort sequence also got executed perfectly”, he said.
According tot he ISRO chief, the vehicle went slightly above the speed of sound before initiating the crew escape system, reported NDTV. “We will come back with more data and analysis after recovery of the crew modules from the sea,” he said.