Sriharikota, Oct 17: – The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has revealed that the first unmanned Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission-1 (TV-D1), designed to showcase the crew escape system for the Gaganyaan program, is scheduled for October 21 at 8:00 am from the First Launch Pad at SDSC-SHAR, Sriharikota.
ISRO has invited students and the public to register for the opportunity to witness the launch from the Launch View Gallery (LVG). This short-duration mission will be a crucial step in India’s Gaganyaan program, marking the country’s first manned mission to space.
The TV-D1 test flight will demonstrate the performance of the Crew Escape System, representing a significant milestone for the overall Gaganyaan program. The unmanned test flight mission will utilize ISRO’s heaviest rocket, LVM3.
ISRO Chairman S. Somanath explained that the TV-D1 test will be followed by three more test flights (TV-D2, TV-D3, and TV-D4) to ensure the reliability of the escape system before the maiden human flight mission. The test aims to demonstrate the system’s high reliability by activating the escape system in transonic conditions (Mach 1.2) to rescue the crew.
The crew module, where Indian astronauts will be housed, will be launched into outer space and brought back to Earth, with recovery operations taking place in the Bay of Bengal. The Gaganyaan mission is anticipated to occur in the second quarter of the next year.”
