Govt shares an update on Gaganyaan, first abort mission likely in two months
2 min read . Updated: 16 Mar 2023, 02:01 PM IST
Premium- Jitendra Singh said the total expenditure incurred for Gaganyaan programme as on October 30, 2022 was ₹3,040 crore
The first of the four abort missions for India's maiden human spaceflight Gaganyaan is planned for May this year, the Lok Sabha has been informed.
The Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday that all the design activities are completed, and proto models testing commenced for all systems. Manufacturing of all the systems have been initiated and in progress.
The Human rated Launch vehicle systems (HLVM3) are tested and qualified. All propulsion systems tests for higher margins were completed.
“Test Vehicle TV-D1 mission for demonstration of crew escape system designed, and stage for first flight realised. The Crew Module structure for TV-D1 mission is delivered. Static tests of all Crew Escape System motors have been completed. Batch testing is in progress," Jitendra Singh said.
The first semester of astronauts training has been completed. Crew evaluation and assessment activities have also been completed.
Orbital module for uncrewed G1 mission realization in progress. For qualification of Parachutes and pyros through Ground and Air drop tests underway.
Recovery trials of crew module from sea commenced at Water Survival Test Facility (WSTF), Indian Navy, Kochi.
The target for launching first crewed mission of Gaganyaan has been in 2022. However, due to lockdowns, disruptions in raw material supply chain from foreign sources and delays in hardware realization from industries, the schedule is modified. Moreover, Gaganyaan Advisory Council has recommended testing of Crew Escape System and deceleration systems through four abort missions using Test Vehicle (TV) and Integrated Air Drop Tests before proceeding with crewed missions. This is in addition to the two uncrewed missions planned earlier.
In the post-lockdown phase, the activities with respect to Gaganyaan progressed well at various work centers. Department of Space has taken various steps to accomplish Gaganyaan through the establishment of dedicated teams at all ISRO centres for design, quality and Human rating certification, and establishment of fast-track procurement committees.
Now resuming in the post-lockdown phase, the design of various systems related to Gaganyaan is completed and the program has entered the realization and testing phase. Presently, Gaganyaan is the high priority activity for Department of Space.
The first test vehicle mission, TV-D1, is planned in May 2023, followed by the second test vehicle TV-D2 mission and the first uncrewed mission of Gaganyaan (LVM3-G1) in the first quarter of 2024.
The second series of test vehicle missions (TV-D3& D4) and LVM3-G2 mission with robotic payload is planned next. The Crewed mission is planned by end of 2024 based on the outcome of the successful test vehicle and uncrewed missions.
“The total expenditure incurred for Gaganyaan program as on 30th October 2022 is ₹3040 crore. All the budgeted items for Gaganyaan have been already committed for identified activities," Jitendra Singh said in the reply .