21 October,2023 10:34 AM IST | Sriharikota | mid-day online correspondent
Crew module of ISRO`s TV-D1 test flight of Mission Gaganyaan descends using parachutes after successfully separating from the launch vehicle, on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023 (Pic/PTI)
On Saturday, October 21, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the Test Flight Abort Mission, for the Gaganyaan mission.
The first test flight was aborted at 8:45 am due to a problem in the engine ignition. Following around two hour delay in the launch, the ISRO scientists put the mission on course 75 minutes later when they launched the rocket and achieved the goal of Crew Module and Crew Escape separation.
"TV D1 Mission was fully achieved," ISRO announced. The payloads later splashed into the sea as planned, a development that witnessed jubilation.
The Gaganyaan mission aims to send humans into space on a Low Earth Orbit of 400 km for three days and bring them safely back to the Earth.
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After the initial delay twice, the launch was rescheduled for 10 am.
The space agency then said that the errors have been identified and corrected and the second launch was scheduled for 10:00 Hrs today.
The mission objectives of the TV-D1 launch are: Flight demonstration and evaluation of Test Vehicle subsystems; flight demonstration and evaluation of Crew Escape System including various separation systems; crew module characteristics; and deceleration system demonstration at higher altitudes and its recovery.
This mission marks a major milestone in India's endeavor to showcase the feasibility of human spaceflight.
Addressing the media, ISRO Chairman S Somanath said," I am very happy to announce the successful accomplishment of the TV-D1 mission. The purpose of this mission was to demonstrate the crew escape system for the Gaganyaan program through a test vehicle demonstration in which the vehicle went up to a Mach number, which is slightly above the speed of sound, and initiated an abort condition for the crew escape system to function."
(with inputs from news agencies)
