NEW DELHI: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is making significant strides in its preparations for India’s first human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan. Recently, the agency successfully carried out three crucial qualification tests for the crew module (CM) systems, moving closer to achieving safe manned missions. Before the anticipated final crewed mission, ISRO plans to execute two unmanned missions, with the initial one expected by the end of this year or in 2027.
The recent trials focused on validating systems integral to crew safety during critical phases of the mission. These tests specifically examined splashdown recovery, module separation, and parachute deployment. They highlighted three critical scenarios that astronauts cannot influence themselves: maintaining the capsule’s upright position after landing in the ocean, ensuring a seamless detachment from the service module prior to re-entry, and confirming the capsule’s resilience against the forces released during parachute activation.
The successful trials included: the float inflation test for the crew module’s up-righting system (CMUS), umbilical separation testing of the crew module service module connect and disconnect system (CSCDS), and a crew module structural qualification test concerning apex cover separation loads.
Ensuring that the crew module remains upright after splashdown is a paramount safety requirement. To achieve this, a cold gas-based up-righting system has been meticulously developed. A comprehensive qualification test setup was created for the CMUS, including inflation tests for the primary flotation module. The process involved using high-pressure gas bottles to inflate the flotation devices via control valves, successfully demonstrating that the inflation module met all functional and performance criteria for primary flotation deployment, as stated by ISRO.
Furthermore, CS-CDS is a pivotal system acting as an electrical and hydro-pneumatic umbilical link between the crew module (CM) and service module (SM). This system facilitates all electrical and fluid communication required for environmental control and life support systems (ECLSS). The testing demonstrated the effective separation of CSU-2 while maintaining the structural integrity of the crew module panel and its interfaces, as reported by ISRO.
Lastly, the apex cover serves to shield parachutes and related subsystems throughout the mission. Prior to the sequential deployment of parachutes aimed at decelerating the crew module, the apex cover is detached at a set altitude using pyrotechnically actuated thrusters. To ensure the structural integrity of the crew module during this critical cover separation, an instrumented test rig was developed along with a simulated crew module and its associated systems. The testing involved applying approximately 1.75 times the estimated reaction loads at specified locations on the simulated crew module, showcasing ISRO’s commitment to rigorous testing and safety protocols.
