ISRO Conducts Test Flight (TV-D1) for the Gaganyaan Mission

Context:

• This article is based on an Editorial “What is the first test on Gaganyaan Mission journey, to be held on Saturday” which was published in the Indian Express. Recently, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully performed the first test vehicle development flight (TV-D1) for India’s first human space flight Gaganyaan.

What is the Gaganyaan Mission of India?

• India’s First Human Spaceflight Mission: To demonstrate ISRO’s human spaceflight capability by launching a human crew to an orbit of 400 km and bringing them safely back to the earth.
• Cost of the Mission: The total cost of the Gaganyaan Programme is approximately Rs 9023 crore.
• Launch Vehicle: GSLV Mk III, also known as LVM-3. After reconfiguring to meet human safety demand, it has been renamed as Human Rated LVM-3.
• Astronauts’ Training: In Russia to become familiar with flying in weightless conditions.
• Collaborative Endeavors- Uniting Forces for the Advancement of India’s Gaganyaan Mission: Indian Armed Forces, Defence Research Development Organization, Indian Meteorological Department, Indian Maritime Agencies, Academic institutes, etc.

What are the associated parts of the Gaganyaan Mission?

• Vyommitra: A humanoid robot, expected to be onboard a second uncrewed Gaganyaan mission to perform microgravity experiments and monitor module parameters.
• Functions: It can perform tasks such as operating switch panels and serving as a companion to astronauts, engaging in conversations, recognising them, and responding to their inquiries.
• Manned Flight: The final part of the mission where a human astronaut will be launched to space and will safely be escorted back through a soft landing in Arabian Sea off the coast of Gujarat.

What is the Crew Escape System (CES) in the Gaganyaan Mission?

• Crew Escape System: Also known as Launch Abort System or Launch Escape System is an emergency exit option critical to manned space missions. 
  • It is designed to pull away the crew module, take it to a safe altitude and bring it safely back on the earth in the event of a launch abort or during the vehicle’s ascent.
• ISRO has put safety of the crew at the center of the Gaganyaan project.
• Earlier Used by the World: In Expedition 57, on October 11, 2018, during a failure of the Russian Soyuz FG rocket. 

Also read: New Targets for ISRO: Indian Space Station by 2035, Indian on Moon by 2040

Potential Benefits of Gaganyaan Mission; Fostering Innovation, Growth, and Collaboration

• Innovation: It will promote innovation and creativity by inspiring our next generation.
• Manned Missions: It will help in developing the critical technology for further space exploration.
• Employment Creation: Major components and technology required for the mission is developed indigenously, thereby creating employment opportunities in the private sector. 
• Private Sector Growth: Its success will encourage the private sector to invest and expand.
• Human Beneficial Technology: Developed technologies will be utilized for human betterment.
• International Collaboration: It will pave the way for future international space collaboration.
• Interdisciplinary Collaboration: The mission will involve collaboration between numerous agencies, disciplines, laboratories, industries and departments.
• Industry-Academia Partnership: The mission will help promote Academia-Industry partnership in carrying out development activities for national development.

Navigating Challenges- Ensuring Success and Safety in Gaganyaan Mission:

• Human Survival Technologies: ISRO will have to develop all the technologies required for human survival from scratch, making it time consuming.
• Human Training: Due to lack of adequate facilities in India, astronauts shortlisted for the Gaganyaan mission have been trained overseas.
• Cost Effectiveness: The mission must not just be successful, but it must also be cost- effective. Developing low cost but highly effective technology is challenging.
• Human Safety: Safely escorting human astronauts back to Earth will be the biggest challenge going forward. 
  • Also, the long term impact of space conditions on the human body cannot be ignored.

Path to Success- Ensuring Precision and Excellence in Gaganyaan Mission

• Meticulous Testing: To prevent any sort of problems during the course of the mission.
• Best Practices: ISRO will adopt the best global practices while executing the mission. 
• High Quality Training: To overcome any physical or mental challenges of astronauts.

Also read: Indian Space Policy 2023

Conclusion:

Gaganyaan Mission may not be much significant on the international stage but its success can be a morale booster for our scientific community. The success of the mission will pave the way for development of the space tourism sector in the country.