Test Vehicle Demonstration – Gaganyaan Mission

Test Vehicle Demonstration (TV D1) – Gaganyaan Mission

Blog By: Trupti Thakur

Image Courtesy: Google

TV-D1 (Test Vehicle Demonstration will be a high-altitude abort test as part of the Gaganyaan program, set to be held in February 2023.

Background

In April 2022 it was proposed that both demonstration missions should have a depressurized crew module. On 10 August 2022 ISRO performed a successful static test from the Crew Escape System. The crew module fairing and the high altitude abort engine was delivered by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited  on 18 August 2022. In December 2022, structural qualification test for Crew Module Fairing with Grid Fins was successfully completed for TV-D1 configuration.^[5]

Mission objectives

With a rocket based upon the GSLV L40 stage, TV-D1, the first development flight from the Gaganyaan program, will be launched up until 11 km from sea level, where an in-flight abort scenario will be initiated, and the capsule should flight until 15–16 km. The mission should test the separation from the rocket and its trajectory until a safe distance and parachute deployment. The capsule will have the same mass as the crewed version.

The mission will be tracked by the team at Sriharikota If successful, India will be the fourth country, after Russia, United States and China, to master this technology.

 

 

The first test vehicle demonstration (TV-D1) under the Gaganyaan mission will be conducted on May 2023. It aims to test the abort process mid-air, the parachute system, and the recovery of crew members after splashdown. The demonstration involves using single liquid propellant-based rocket stage to carry the crew module to a sub-orbital level. This success of this demonstration will bring Gaganyaan mission an inch closer to the goal of sending humans to space.

 

Additional Demonstrations and Crewed Missions

The uncrewed mission will only take place after the success of two such demonstrations. Two more test vehicle demonstrations will follow before the second uncrewed mission, which will carry a pressurized crew module. The first crewed mission has been scheduled for late 2024 or early 2025, but its timeline will depend on the success of these tests.

Gaganyaan Advisory Council’s Recommendation

The Gaganyaan Advisory Council has recommended additional testing for the 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 was in addition to the two uncrewed missions that were originally planned.

Testing Procedures

The TV-D1 is designed to test the processes for aborting the mission mid-air, the parachute system that will bring the crew module down to sea, and the recovery of crew members from the module after splashdown. The demonstration will use a single liquid propellant-based rocket stage to carry the crew module to sub-orbital level.

Importance of TV-D1

The test vehicle demonstration is an essential step in the Gaganyaan mission’s progress. The TV-D1 aims to test the safety and reliability of the spacecraft and its systems, including the escape mechanism, at a much higher altitude than before. The TV-D1’s success will pave the way for further testing and the eventual crewed mission.

 

Blog By: Trupti Thakur