Mission Gaganyaan: ISRO to conduct crutial TV-D1 test flight on October 21; check details

This mission aims to simulate an abort condition during the ascent trajectory of the crewed spacecraft. When the crew escape systems and the crew module reach an altitude of approximately 17 km, they will be detached from the test vehicle.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Monday (October 16) said that it is gearing up for a crucial milestone in its ambitious human space mission, Gaganyaan. The space agency has officially announced its Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission, scheduled to take place this Saturday between 7 am and 9 am. The core component of this mission is the Test Vehicle, a single-stage liquid rocket.

This mission aims to simulate an abort condition during the ascent trajectory of the crewed spacecraft. When the crew escape systems and the crew module reach an altitude of approximately 17 km, they will be detached from the test vehicle.

Subsequently, an autonomous abort sequence will initiate, involving the separation of the crew escape systems, deployment of parachutes, and culminating in the safe descent of the crew module into the sea, roughly 10 km from the Sriharikota coast.

The crew module, after undergoing rigorous electrical testing at ISRO's Bengaluru facility, was transported to Sriharikota on August 13. The success of this test flight is a significant milestone for the entire Gaganyaan program, as it represents the integration of a near-complete system for a flight test.

A positive outcome will pave the way for subsequent qualification tests and unmanned missions, bringing India closer to its first Gaganyaan mission with Indian astronauts on board.

ISRO's Chief, S Somanath, has also revealed plans for at least three more tests of a similar nature in the near future, indicating the agency's commitment to achieving its human spaceflight goals.