Gaganyaan Mission: Succeeds In Second Attempt (image-isro)
After an unsuccessful launch of the ISRO TV-D1 rocket, ISRO has successfully launched India”s Gaganyaan after attempting a relaunch in 45 minutes. The Test Vehicle was fired again at 10 AM on Saturday. The Indian Space Agency was able to fix the glitches and relaunch it from Sriharikota.
Expressing the happiness, the ISRO Chief S Somanath said,” I am very happy to announce the successful accomplishment of the Gaganyaan TV-D1 mission”. And further added that reason for the launch hold is identified and corrected. The launch is planned at 10 Hrs today”.
Earlier, the ISRO Chief informed that that lift-off in the mission could not happen due to problems in engine ignition. The liquid propelled single stage Test Vehicle (TV-D1) lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Center on brief yet consequential flight carrying a homegrown system that would be crucial for the safety of the Indian astronauts- the Crew Escape system.
The test also validated the motors including low-altitude motors, high-altitude motors and jettisoning motors that will be used during the mission to safely eject astronauts away from the vehicles in case of an emergency.
The flight sequence began with the launch of the TV-D1. The fin enabling system was activated within six seconds in flight. This was followed by the activation of the Crew Escape System at a speed of Mach number of 1.25, at an altitude of 11.8km. With the firing of the High Energy Motor, the vehicle propelled further into the atmosphere. When the vehicle reached at an altitude of 11.9 km, the Crew Escape System was separated from the rocket booster. The Crew Module got separated from the Crew Escape System at an altitude of 16.9 km. Then the drogue parachute is deployed, slowing the vehicle”s descent, reports India Today.
India”s Gaganyaan mission represents India”s milestone to demonstrate that it is possible to send humans to space. The test flight aims to prove India”s capacity to send humans into a 400 kilometer orbit and safely bring them back to Earth. The three day mission will make India the fourth nation to launch a manned spaceflight mission after the US, Russia and China.
TV-D1 vehicle, a liquid propelled single stage Test Vehicle used as a modified VIKAS engine with Crew Module (CM) and Crew Escape System (CES) mounted at its fore end.
