Gaganyaan TV-D1 test launch postponed by ISRO due to technical issues

ISRO’s test launch of Gaganyaan TV-D1 was a step towards its Gaganyaan programme, which has the goal of sending humans to space by 2025.

Published By: Om Gupta | Published: Oct 21, 2023, 09:53 AM (IST)

Highlights

ISRO postponed the first major set of tests for Gaganyaan on Saturday.
The mission is called Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission-1 (TV-D1).
ISRO is expected to launch Gaganyaan sometime in 2025.

Written By Om Gupta

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has called off the test launch of the Gaganyaan TV-D1 vehicle, which was scheduled for October 21, 2023, at 8:00 AM from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The test launch was part of the Gaganyaan programme, India’s ambitious mission to send humans to space by 2025. The test launch was aimed at validating the Crew Escape System (CES), a critical safety feature that would separate the crew module from the launch vehicle in case of an emergency during the initial and critical phases of the flight. The CES consists of several motors that would quickly pull away the crew module and parachute it safely to the ground or sea.

The crew module, which provides the crew with a pressurized and Earth-like environment inside the rocket, was a crucial payload in this test. It has a metallic inner structure and an outer structure with systems to protect it from heat. The test vehicle TV-D1 was designed to reach a set altitude and then splash down in the Bay of Bengal.

However, due to some technical issues detected during the pre-launch checks, ISRO decided to postpone the test launch to a later date. ISRO did not specify the nature of the issues or the new date for the test launch. ISRO said that it is reviewing the data and will announce the revised schedule soon.

The TV-D1 is a mock-up of the crew module that will be used in the Gaganyaan mission, which will send three crew members to space for three days in 2025. It has the same size and weight as the real module, but it is not pressurized. It also has systems for slowing down and landing, such as parachutes.

India will join the United States, Russia, and China as the fourth country to launch a manned spaceflight mission with the Gaganyaan project, which will orbit the Earth at 400km altitude and return the crew safely.

Update: ISRO has identified and corrected the issue and it will reattempt the launch at 10am. ISRO via an X post said, “Reason for the launch hold is identified and corrected. The launch is planned at 10:00 Hrs. today.”