Gaganyaan Mission of India, Launching Date, Objectives, Stages, Launch Vehicle, Training and Testing, Orbital Modules of Gaganyaan
The primary responsibility of the Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) is to lead the Gaganyaan program of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It will do this by coordinating the efforts of all the other ISRO centers, research labs, academia, and industries in India. HSFC will also ensure that all the activities are carried out to the highest standards of reliability and human safety.
HSFC is the lead center for all human space flight activities in India. It will undertake research and development (R&D) in new technology areas such as life support systems, human factors engineering, bioastronautics, crew training, and human rating and certification. These areas are essential for future human space flight activities such as rendezvous and docking, building space stations, and interplanetary manned missions to the Moon/Mars and near-earth asteroids.
In short, HSFC will be responsible for the overall planning and execution of the Gaganyaan program, as well as the development of the technologies needed for future human space flight missions.
Here are some of the specific tasks that HSFC will be responsible for:
- Planning and executing the Gaganyaan mission, which will involve sending three Indian astronauts to low Earth orbit for a week-long stay.
- Developing the life support systems that will keep the astronauts alive in space.
- Designing and building the crew module that will transport the astronauts to space.
- Training the astronauts for the mission.
- Certifying the mission to ensure that it is safe for the astronauts.
HSFC is a critical part of India’s plan to become a major player in the space race. The success of the Gaganyaan mission will depend on the hard work and dedication of the people at HSFC.
Gaganyaan Pre-requisites
The Gaganyaan project aims to send a crew of 3 people to a low Earth orbit (LEO) of 400 kilometers for a 3-day mission, and then safely return them to Earth by landing in the Indian Ocean.
The Gaganyaan project is being undertaken using a combination of in-house expertise, the experience of Indian industry, the intellectual capabilities of Indian academia and research institutions, and cutting-edge technologies available from international agencies.
The pre-requisites for the Gaganyaan mission include the development of many critical technologies, such as:
- A human-rated launch vehicle that can safely carry a crew into space.
- A life support system that can provide an Earth-like environment for the crew in space.
- A crew emergency escape system.
- Procedures for training, recovering, and rehabilitating the crew.
The project is being planned and executed in a phased manner, with the first phase involving the development and testing of the critical technologies. The second phase will involve the launch of an unmanned spacecraft, and the third phase will involve the launch of a manned spacecraft.
Before sending astronauts to space, India will conduct several unmanned missions to test the safety and reliability of the spacecraft and its systems. These missions include:
- An Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT), which will drop a mock-up of the crew module from a high-altitude aircraft to test its parachute system.
- A Pad Abort Test (PAT), which will test the crew module’s escape system in case of an emergency on the launch pad.
- A Test Vehicle (TV) flight, which will launch a crewless spacecraft into orbit to test its systems in space.
The results of these missions will help to ensure the safety of the astronauts on the actual human space flight mission.
Human rated LVM3 – HLVM3
The LVM3 rocket is a well-proven and reliable heavy lift launcher that has been selected for the Gaganyaan mission. It consists of three stages: a solid stage, a liquid stage, and a cryogenic stage. All systems in the LVM3 launch vehicle have been reconfigured to meet human rating requirements and are now known as the Human Rated LVM3. The HLVM3 will be capable of launching the Orbital Module to a low Earth orbit of 400 kilometers.
The HLVM3 also has a Crew Escape System (CES) that is powered by a set of quick-acting, high-burn-rate solid motors. This system ensures that the Crew Module, along with the crew, can be taken to a safe distance in case of any emergency, either at the launch pad or during the ascent phase.
Orbital Module
he Orbital Module (OM) consists of the Crew Module (CM) and the Service Module (SM). The OM is equipped with state-of-the-art avionics systems with redundancy for human safety.
The CM is a habitable space with an Earth-like environment for the crew. It has a double-walled construction with a pressurized metallic inner structure and an unpressurized outer structure with a thermal protection system. The CM houses the crew interfaces, human-centric products, life support system, avionics, and deceleration systems. It is also designed for re-entry to ensure the safety of the crew during descent and touchdown.
The SM provides necessary support to the CM while in orbit. It is an unpressurized structure that contains the thermal system, propulsion system, power systems, avionics, and deployment mechanisms.
New technologies being developed for Gaganyaan
Human safety is the top priority in the Gaganyaan mission. To ensure this, various new technologies are being developed and implemented, including engineering systems and human-centric systems.
Crew training for Gaganyaan
The Astronaut Training Facility in Bengaluru offers classroom training, physical fitness training, simulator training, and flight suit training. The training modules cover academic courses, Gaganyaan flight systems, microgravity familiarization through parabolic flights, aeromedical training, recovery and survival training, mastering of flight procedures, and training on crew training simulators. Aeromedical training, periodic flying practice, and yoga are also included as part of the training.
Drogue Parachute Development and Testing
ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) successfully conducted a series of tests on drogue parachutes at the Rail Track Rocket Sled (RTRS) facility of the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL) in Chandigarh from August 8 to 10, 2023. The tests were conducted in collaboration with the Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
Drogue parachutes are crucial for the Gaganyaan mission, which aims to send Indian astronauts to space and back. They play a vital role in stabilizing the crew module and reducing its velocity to a safe level during re-entry.
Drogue parachutes are packed within pyro-based devices known as mortars. When commanded, these mortars eject the parachutes into the air. The parachutes are conical ribbon-type parachutes with a diameter of 5.8 meters. They have a single-stage reefing mechanism that minimizes canopy area and mitigates opening shock, ensuring a smooth and controlled descent.
The three comprehensive tests conducted at the RTRS facility simulated a range of real-world scenarios to rigorously evaluate the performance and reliability of the drogue parachutes. The first test simulated the maximum reefed load, which was a groundbreaking achievement as it was the first time reefing had been used in a mortar-deployed parachute in India. The second test emulated the maximum disreefed load, while the third test showcased the deployment of the drogue parachute under conditions mirroring the maximum angle of attack experienced by the Crew Module during its mission.
The successful RTRS tests are a critical qualification milestone for the drogue parachutes and confirm their readiness for integration into the upcoming Test Vehicle-D1 mission. Earlier this year, the RTRS tests of Pilot and Apex cover separation parachutes were also conducted, further demonstrating the progress of the Gaganyaan mission’s parachute system development.
The Gaganyaan crew module’s deceleration system uses a total of 10 parachutes. The sequence begins with the deployment of two Apex cover separation parachutes, followed by the stabilization achieved through the deployment of two drogue parachutes. Upon release of the drogue parachutes, the mission transitions into the extraction phase, with three Pilot chutes individually extracting three main parachutes. This is a pivotal step in reducing the Crew Module’s speed to safe levels for a secure landing.
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