On August 28, 2021, ISRO successfully conducted the first hot test of the System Demonstration Model (SDM) of the Gaganyaan Service Module Propulsion System for a duration of 450 s at the test facility of ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu. The system performance met the test objectives and there was a close match with the pre-test predictions. Further, a series of hot tests are planned to simulate various mission conditions as well as off-nominal conditions.The Service Module is part of the Gaganyaan Orbital module and is located below the crew module and remains connected to it until re-entry. The Service Module (SM) Propulsion System consists of a unified bipropellant system consisting of 5 nos. of 440 N thrust engines and 16 nos. of 100 N Reaction Control system (RCS) thrusters with MON-3 and MMH as Oxidizer and Fuel respectively. The System Demonstration Model (SDM), consisting of 5 nos. of 440 N engines and 8 nos. of 100 N thrusters, was realized to qualify the propulsion system performance in ground. A new test facility is established at IPRC, Mahendragiri for testing the SDM.
According to top officials, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) will be making only minor tweaks to its heavy-lifter rocket GSLV Mk3, as the agency gears up for Human Spaceflight missions. These changes to its most-advanced rocket are meant to improve its reliability for undertaking the daunting task of lifting a human-carrying spacecraft into orbit. Additional emphasis would also be paid to the manufacturing process of the rocket and its components.
... ISRO will also be launching two satellites that are meant to provide communications support for its human-carrying spacecraft. Known as IDRSS (Indian Data Relay System Satellites), they would be placed nearly 36,000km above the equator (where they would remain in sync with the earth’s rotation or at a constant position when seen from earth) and will offer near-total tracking and communication with India’s space assets. It must be noted that a constellation of 3 satellites positioned in a 36,000km orbit can offer real-time, 24/7 monitoring of almost the entire earth.ISRO intends to launch two such IDRSS satellites prior to the Gaganyaan Human Spaceflight. Dr. K.Sivan, Chairman, ISRO, told WION that the Gaganyaan spacecraft would be placed in a low earth orbit, 400kms above the earth. He added that ISRO was looking at launching the IDRSS satellites in 2022.
Referring to the orbital placement of Gaganyaan, he said, "The rocket will put the 7.5ton Gaganyaan module into a 170x400kms orbit (170kms from earth and 400kms from earth at its nearest and farthest points in orbit respectively). Thereafter, the on-board propulsion will raise the Gaganyaan module to a uniform 400km (Low earth orbit). He also added that, the same propulsion system would be used to lower the orbit and bring the spacecraft closer to the earth to aid re-entry.
Regarding the engines being used to propel the Gaganyaan spacecraft, he said that it was a cluster of five engines. Here too, the engines being used are the tried and tested 440N thrust engines that are in use in the GSAT series of satellites. A system demonstration model comprising a cluster of five engines was recently test fired successfully by ISRO, for a duration of 450 seconds. In the coming months, ISRO will be performing a long duration test-fire of its engines, in order to accumulate more data for human-rating of the entire rocket.
https://www.wionews.com/india-news/isro-making-minor-tweaks-to-gslv-for-gaganyaan-more-emphasis-on-manufacturing-process-409728QuoteISRO intends to launch two such IDRSS [Indian Data Relay System Satellites] satellites prior to the Gaganyaan Human Spaceflight.<snip >[Dr. Sivan] added that ISRO was looking at launching the IDRSS satellites in 2022.
ISRO intends to launch two such IDRSS [Indian Data Relay System Satellites] satellites prior to the Gaganyaan Human Spaceflight.<snip >[Dr. Sivan] added that ISRO was looking at launching the IDRSS satellites in 2022.
What looks like a Sokol-derived ISRO spacesuit for Gaganyaan; https://twitter.com/shorouqn11/status/1452551515646922755/photo/3 https://twitter.com/Ajmeunier/status/1452504086289567748/photo/3
Продвижение продукции на внешний рынок (поставка снаряжения для индийскойпилотируемой миссии «Гаганьян»)
Today, January 12, 2022, ISRO successfully conducted the qualification test of Cryogenic Engine for Gaganyaan programme for a duration of 720 seconds at ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu.The performance of the engine met the test objectives and the engine parameters were closely matching with the predictions during the entire duration of the test.This successful long-duration test is a major milestone for the Human Space Programme – Gaganyaan. It ensures the reliability and robustness of the cryogenic engine for induction into the human-rated launch vehicle for Gaganyaan.Further, this engine will undergo four more tests for a cumulative duration of 1810 seconds. Subsequently, one more engine will undergo two short-duration tests & one long-duration test to complete the cryogenic engine qualification for Gaganyaan Programme.
There will be no Gaganyaan flight this year. The Covid-19 pandemic has shifted the schedule of one of India's most ambitious missions, the human space flight, by a large margin.Union minister for science and technology, space and atomic energy Jitendra Singh told THE WEEK that the first Gaganyaan flight is expected to take off in early 2023. "We will aim for the second flight, which will have the indigenous robot Vyomitra, to take off, hopefully by the end of 2023. The manned flight should happen sometime in 2024,” he said.
Department of SpaceDr S. Somanath, new Chairman, ISRO calls on Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh and discusses status of “Gaganyaan” and other future Space missionsPosted On: 25 JAN 2022 4:27PM by PIB DelhiDr S. Somanath, who has taken over as the new Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) called on Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh and discussed the status of “Gaganyaan” as well as other Space missions lined up for the near future.While conveying his best wishes to the new ISRO Chief, Dr Jitendra Singh said that Dr. Somanath was taking over the prestigious assignment at a very eventful time and destiny had blessed him to lead ISRO through some of the most historic missions including India’s first Human Space Mission “Gaganyaan”.Dr Jitendra Singh said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Space programmes have been given a special impetus and Space technology has now been made applicable in different sectors including roads and highways, railways, healthcare, agriculture, etc. He said, during the next few years, India’s ascent to the top will be heralded via the Space route.ISRO Chairman updated the Minister about the status of Gaganyaan programme and said that there had been a delay in timeline because of the COVID and other constraints but now things have again fallen back on the track and all the systems needed for the first unmanned mission are getting realised. Following the first unmanned mission, the second unmanned mission “Vyommitra” will carry Robot and this will then be followed by the Human Mission.The Minister was also informed that the Indian Astronauts have successfully undergone Generic Space Flight Training in Russia. A dedicated ad-hoc astronaut training centre has also been established at Bengaluru for Gaganyan specific training.The preparations for the Human Mission, said the ISRO Chief, involve in-flight demonstration of Crew Escape System functioning in lower atmosphere (less than 10 Kms). The exercise recovery of the crew module after impacting in Sea is also being worked out.In 2022, ISRO also has the distinction of launching GSAT-21, the first fully funded satellite of NSIL (New Space India Limited) and will be owned as well as operated by NSIL. This Communication Satellite will meet the DTH (Direct to Home) application needs.ISRO Chairman presented at brief about the forthcoming missions during the next three months. He mentioned a RICAT-1A PSLV C5-2 scheduled for February 2022, OCEANSAT-3, INS 2B ANAND PSLV C-53 to be launched in March 2022 and SSLV-D1 Micro SAT in April 2022.
More good news!ISRO will launch its #Gaganyaan spacecraft atop a L40 stage (GSLV Mk-II side booster) in mid-2022 to conduct an Inflight Abort Test of its Crew Escape System!!Also ISRO is looking to launch Aditya-L1 in Sept-Oct 2022!
Gaganyan preparations are in progress. The Gaganyan project is underway and the training of astronauts is progressing in Bangalore. The human rated launch vehicle is in the works. Crew Escape module testing will take place soon. A new test launch vehicle is also being developed for this purpose. This new small rocket will be powered by a Vikas engine. ISRO is also planning some other projects using the same test vehicle. The first test is how to make the astronauts safer in the event of an accident during the launch for any reason. Experiments on how to escape an accident from a launch pad and how to escape an accident shortly after launch are going to take place this year.
Human rated launch vehicle, work in progressGSLV is making significant changes to the Mark Three rocket for the Gaganyan mission. The crew module will be placed on top of the rocket. Other parts of the rocket also need to be improved. Work is in progress to make the rocket safer to use for human missions. We have to face any crisis. Do not endanger life. Special care is taken to avoid the situation where the launch has to be abandoned. The safety of astronauts is paramount. If something goes wrong you have to escape. The launch vehicle is being modified for this purpose. The second launch pad at Sriharikota is also being prepared for the Gaganyan mission. The launch pad also needs more security features when sending a human. Arrangements are being made to evacuate immediately in case of an emergency.
The training of Gaganyan travelers is in progressAll four astronauts are currently based in Bangalore. Preliminary training in Russia has been completed and training is now continuing in India. The passengers of the Gaganyan spacecraft need to be apprehended. They need to learn how it works and how to control it. Many types of simulations are being prepared. A special training center is being set up in Bengaluru for this purpose and it will be inaugurated soon.
Gaganyan National ProjectS Unnikrishnan, who is also the head of the Human Space Flight Center, says Gaganyan is a national project in every sense. The private sector and research institutes are cooperating in the project. Research institutes in the country are teaming up with ISRO. The special parachute required for the mission is manufactured by DRDO. And the DRDO Lab in Mysore, which prepares food to eat in space. It is hoped that many of the technologies being developed for Gaganyan will soon be available to the general public.
"Implementing Arrangement (IA) between ISRO and Australian Space Agency relating to cooperation on establishing and operating transportable telemetry terminals in the Cocos (keeling) Islands, Australia for the Gaganyaan human space flight mission" was signed on December 10, 2021/January 07, 2022.
ISRO team reviews work on launch pedestal at HECRanchi: A two-member team from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Sriharikota, on Thursday visited Heavy Engineering Corporation Ltd. (HEC), Ranchi and reviewed the progress of the making of the mobile launch pedestal taken up by the PSU at its plants.The mobile launch pedestal, being designed and made by HEC, would be used for the country’s prestigious Gaganyaan mission that envisages launching two unmanned missions and a maiden human space mission into space in 2023.The launch pedestal which will be 19.2 metres long and wide with a height of 7 metres, will weigh around 790 tonne.The ISRO team comprised K Ponginan, project director (augmentation of second launch pad project) and C H Prasad, deputy manager (projects), ISRO.
Here we go: Umamaheshwaran R will be new #HSFC director. Dr Unni will not have additional charge from today evening and will focus completely on VSSC. Some more changes within @isro too, I'm awaiting second & third confirmations before going public. Some of you may already know!
@isro has operationalised the basic or ad hoc astronaut training facility near ISITE in Bengaluru which has been commissioned specifically for Gaganyaan programme.While this centre — hosting at least three types of simulators and other training facilities — is expected to fulfil requirements of #Gaganyaan, a larger, more sophisticated training facility will eventually come up in Challakere for future human space programmes.While the first kind of simulators are VR simulators procured commercially, the second simulator will simulate various interactions with machine and so on. The final one will be real crew module simulator that'll have internal settings, ECLS etc. This will be built gradually. The new facility has been set up on a plot belonging to the URSAC and is near the Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM) and Isro Satellite Integration and Testing Establishment (ISITE).I first reported that @isro was setting up such a facility for practical training of astronauts who have completed basic training in Russia’s Gagarin Research & Test Cosmonaut Training Centre, last year. It was to be ready by December but is now finally ready.Besides, the mission-specific crew training will have a three-sem curriculum as finalised by the apex panel comprising former astronaut Rakesh Sharma and Air Cmde (retd) Ravish Malhotra, as I'd reported earlier. @isro has been quiet on this. I do not anticipate any formal announcement about the facility any time soon. We may get something in a couple of months or so...
Surat: SVNIT to produce potable water from astronaut's urine | Ahmedabad News - Times of IndiaSURAT/AHMEDABAD: How does one recover potable water from human urine in a zero-gravity environment in space? This crucial question is being addressed by scientists at Surat's Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology's (SVNIT) department of chemical engineering.The varsity bagged the important Isro-sponsored project which is crucial in showcasing India's indigenous capability to undertake long-term human space flight missions.
The team - comprising principal investigator leader Dr Alka Mungray, her husband Dr Arvind Mungray, Dr Shriram Sonawane and Asfak Patel - is developing a prototype of a briefcase-sized urine recycling system for this purpose.The system will separate potable water and concentrated nutrient stream from human urine during space missions. At the heart of the system will be fluids made of thermal sensitive nanoparticles or nanofluids. Researchers calculated that for a 30-month-long mission, each crew member will require 2,250 litres of water and 1,359kg of food to produce 1,493 litres of urine in that same period of time.
The research, sources at the Ahmedabad-based Isro's space applications centre (SAC) said, gathered steam after China's Tianhe space station core module recycled 66 litres of urine and treated it into distilled water to help the crew in July 2021.
The current urine recycling systems operational in international space stations (ISS) are very bulky, complicated, require a lot of maintenance and costly. Also, the rejected urine streams are yet not recycled fully. Therefore, our team has proposed a solution which will reduce the overall weight, size, and complexity of the recycling system," said Dr Arvind Mungray, adding that it will lead to lower maintenance and overall cost.
The system requires specific membranes and reactors which have been tested and have been patented by the SVNIT laboratory. Human urine consists of almost 95% water and the remaining 5% consists of micro and macronutrients with maximum urea. Its dewatering could theoretically supply over 60% of the crew's water demand.
