Paper: GS – III, Subject: Science and Technology, Topic: Space Technology, Issue: Gaganyaan’s Crew Escape System.
Context:
The Gaganyaan Mission, India’s first human spaceflight program, aims to send astronauts into low Earth orbit and ensure their safe return.
Key Takeaways:
- To prioritize crew safety, ISRO developed a Crew Escape System (CES) that can rapidly detach the crew module from the rocket in case of an emergency during launch.
Crew Escape System:
- To ensure the Astronauts’ safety, various In-flight Abort Demonstrations of Crew Escape System (CES) have been included.
- Types of Crew Escape Systems
The CES is classified into two main types based on how it extracts the crew module:
- Puller Type: Mechanism: The CES pulls the crew module away from the launch vehicle.
- Example: Used in the Gaganyaan mission.
- Pusher Type: Mechanism: The crew module is pushed away using compact, high-thrust liquid-fuel engines.
- Example: Used in vehicles like SpaceX’s Falcon 9.
Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission-1 (TV-D1):
- It is the first of the two abort missions to test the safety mechanisms and demonstrates the performance of the Crew Escape System of the Gaganyaan Mission.
- This has also confirmed the functioning of systems for separating the crew module from the rocket in case of a mid-flight emergency (abort and escape mission of the astronauts).
- Hence, it will allow the Gaganyaan crew to leave the spacecraft in an emergency.
Life Support System:
- Life Support System to provide an earth like environment to crew in space, crew emergency escape provision and evolving crew management aspects for training, recovery and rehabilitation of crew members.
Significance of CES in the Gaganyaan Programme:
- Safety cornerstone: It forms the backbone of ISRO’s human safety framework.
- Boosts confidence: Successful CES tests pave the way for India’s first crewed spaceflight.
- Technological leap: Demonstrates India’s capability in human-rated space systems.
- Foundation for future missions: Critical for upcoming long-duration and lunar missions.
The Crew Escape System (CES) ensures astronaut safety in the Gaganyaan mission and highlights ISRO’s progress in human spaceflight and future deep-space ventures.
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