Gaganyaan test space flight scheduled for October 21: Dr Jitendra

New Delhi: The launch of “Gaganyaan” test vehicle space flight, that is, “Gaganyaan” Test Vehicle Development flight (TV-D1) is scheduled on October 21.

This was disclosed by Union Minister of State (independent charge) Science & Technology; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh, while addressing the gathering at a felicitation programme of ISRO scientists associated with the Chandrayaan Mission, here on Tuesday.

ISRO will also test the efficacy of the Crew Escape System which is the crucial part of “Gaganyaan” mission, resulting in unmanned and manned missions to outer space by 2024. The test is to be conducted at Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. Crew module will carry the astronauts during the Gaganyaan mission to outer space.

The test involves launching a crew module to outer space and bringing it back to earth and recovering it after touchdown in the Bay of Bengal. Indian navy personnel have already started mock operations to recover the module.

The success of this test will set the stage for the first unmanned “Gaganyaan” mission and ultimately manned mission to outer space in low earth orbit, informed the Minister. Before the ultimate manned “Gaganyaan” mission, there will be a test flight next year, which will carry “Vyommitra”, the female robot astronaut, he said.

Gaganyaan project envisages demonstration of human spaceflight capability by launching a human crew to an orbit of 400 km and bringing them back safely to earth, by landing in Indian sea waters. The prerequisites for Gaganyaan mission include development of many critical technologies, including human rated launch vehicle for carrying crew safely to space, Life Support System to provide an earth like environment to crew in space, crew emergency escape provision and evolving crew management aspects for training, recovery and rehabilitation of crew.