Gaganyaan’s First Test Flight to Be Conducted on October 21st
The critical landing safety check for India’s ambitious Gaganyaan project, aimed at sending humans into space, is scheduled for October 21st. This evaluation involves testing the crew escape system under various conditions, including high dynamic pressure. Before sending humans into space, there will be four different landing safety checks, with the first set for October 21st. During this experiment, the spacecraft will be elevated to a height of 17 km above the Earth and then landed. This test, named TVD1, is designed to ensure the safety and survival of astronauts in various disaster scenarios and to assess the capability of the Gaganyaan probe.
As part of the TVD1 experiment, the India-made astronaut robot ‘Vyommitra’ is set to journey into space aboard the Gaganyaan probe, expected to occur early next year, according to ISRO sources. Following TVD1, TDD2 is planned for launch later this year. The first orbital test of the human-powered Gaganyaan spacecraft is scheduled for 2024, with two more safety checks to follow. By the end of 2024, the Gaganyaan probe is set to launch for the first time with three Indian astronauts on board.
The Gaganyaan project is a significant endeavor by ISRO to send humans into space. With the first Gaganyaan mission, ISRO aims to place four astronauts in a spacecraft in orbit 400 km above Earth, where they will remain for three days before the probe lands in the Indian Ocean. Once India achieves the capability to send humans into space, efforts will begin to maintain a permanent Indian presence there, extending from space stations to lunar exploration. The Gaganyaan project is allocated a budget of 9,023 crores.
Vyommitra, the robot created by ISRO in the form of a female, plays a pivotal role in assisting space missions. Vyommitra’s mission is to assess the life-saving equipment on board the probe, ensuring its effective functioning and technical aspects. This robot is equipped to recognize humans and can communicate in both Hindi and English.
