ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) has initiated preparations for the Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission 1 (TV-D1) as part of the Gaganyaan mission. ISRO has announced on 6 October 2023, that unmanned flight tests for the Gaganyaan mission will begin soon.
- The focus of the test includes assessing the effectiveness of the Crew Escape System, a crucial component of the Gaganyaan mission.
- The Gaganyaan mission aims to achieve unmanned and manned missions to outer space by the year 2024.
- The test is scheduled to be conducted at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
- The Crew Module will be responsible for carrying astronauts during the Gaganyaan mission into outer space.
- The test involves launching a crew module into outer space, retrieving it, and recovering it after it touches down in the Bay of Bengal.
- The Indian Navy personnel have initiated mock operations to practice the recovery of the crew module.
- The success of this test is critical as it paves the way for the first unmanned Gaganyaan mission and, subsequently, a manned mission to low Earth orbit.
- During the Gaganyaan mission, the Crew Module with three astronauts will be placed in a circular orbit approximately 400 kilometers above the Earth for a duration of three days before safely returning to Earth.
- Four selected astronauts are currently undergoing crew training at the Astronaut Training Facility in Bengaluru.
- The heavy-lift launcher HLVM3 rocket will be utilized for the Gaganyaan mission.
Q.: What is the primary objective of the Gaganyaan mission?
a) To mine asteroids for valuable resources
b) To send robotic missions to Mars
c) To establish India’s capability for crewed spaceflight
d) To study the Earth’s magnetic field
Answer: c) To establish India’s capability for crewed spaceflight
Q.: How many astronauts are planned to be placed in the Crew Module during the Gaganyaan mission?
a) Two
b) Three
c) Four
d) Five
Ans : b) Three
