New Delhi: India’s Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission has achieved several key milestones, with the Human Rated Launch Vehicle (HLVM3) completing development and ground testing, while astronaut training and preparations for the first uncrewed mission continue, the government informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
The details were shared in a written reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1802 on the Gaganyaan Programme, raised by Rao Rajendra Singh. Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Dr. Jitendra Singh outlined progress on the mission, astronaut training, infrastructure development and crew safety systems.
The government said the propulsion systems for the Crew Module and Service Module have been developed, tested and qualified. The engineering model of the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) has also been completed, while the deceleration system, Crew Module Up-righting System, Thermal Protection System and end-to-end avionics have been developed and successfully tested.
It added that five types of motors for the Crew Escape System have been developed and qualified. Key infrastructure, including the Orbital Module Preparation Facility, Gaganyaan Control Centre, crew training facility and modifications to the Second Launch Pad, has also been completed.
The first Test Vehicle mission (TV-D1), which validated the Crew Escape System during flight, along with Integrated Air Drop Test-01 and Test-02, has been completed successfully. The follow-up TV-D2 mission is in an advanced stage of preparation.
The House was informed that the Gaganyatris have completed generic training at Glavkosmos in Russia, while mission-specific training is underway at the Astronaut Training Facility in Bengaluru.
Preparations for the first uncrewed Gaganyaan mission, designated G1, are also progressing. According to the government, all stages of the HLVM3, including HS200, L110 and C32, along with the Crew Escape System motors, are ready. The Crew Module and Service Module systems have been realised, while assembly, integration and testing are nearing completion.
The government said Gaganyaan missions will be launched from the Second Launch Pad at SDSC SHAR, where additional facilities, including a Crew Access Arm, bubble lift and zip line system, have been installed to support crewed missions.
On crew safety, the government said the Environmental Control and Life Support System, being developed indigenously by ISRO, is undergoing development tests. A reduced version of the system is planned for flight demonstration during the uncrewed Gaganyaan missions before it is used for human spaceflight.
