India’s Moon Mission: PM Modi Aims for 2040, Space Station by 2035, Gaganyaan in 2025

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with ISRO scientists on Tuesday, October 17th. During this meeting, he received information regarding the preparations for the crew escape system testing for India’s first human space flight mission, “Gaganyaan,” scheduled for October 21st.

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) stated that there is a possibility of India’s first human space mission in 2025. In the meeting, the Prime Minister instructed ISRO scientists to work towards building a space station by 2035 and planning to send humans to the Moon by 2040. The PM also emphasized that ISRO is working on various missions, including the Venus Orbiter Mission and Mars Lander Mission.

On October 21, 2023, ISRO will conduct testing for the crew escape system of the Gaganyaan mission. In simple terms, this system will be tested to ensure that in case of any issues with the rocket during the mission, the astronauts can be safely brought back to Earth.

The test vehicle for the mission, called Abort Mission-1 (TV-D1), will be launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota. This flight consists of three components: an abort mission liquid rocket, the crew module, and the crew escape system. During the flight, the crew module will be exposed to conditions similar to those in a mission. These tests will help determine how the crew module will perform in different scenarios.The crew module will be separated from the launch vehicle at an altitude of about 17 km, where the rocket’s speed will reach 1.2 times the speed of sound. It will then move approximately 2 km away, and the module will safely splash down in the sea, around 10 km from Sriharikota.

The crew escape system will be tested in an “Abort” situation. This means that it will simulate a scenario where the rocket has a critical issue and needs to be aborted. This testing is crucial to ensure the safe return of astronauts in case any anomalies occur during the actual mission.In the upcoming year, the Gaganyaan mission will see a team of three members spend three days at an altitude of 400 km above Earth. Afterward, the crew module will safely descend into the sea. If successful, India will become the fourth nation to send humans to space, following the United States, Russia, and China.

It’s worth noting that the first human spaceflight was achieved by Yuri Gagarin from the Soviet Union, who spent 108 minutes in space on April 12, 1961. Alan Shepard of the United States followed, spending 15 minutes in space on May 5, 1961. Yang Liwei from China spent 21 hours in space on October 15, 2003.Prime Minister Modi had announced the Gaganyaan mission during his Independence Day speech in 2018. Initially planned for completion by 2022, the mission experienced delays, partly due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is now expected to be launched by the end of 2024 or at the beginning of 2025.

In Bangalore, ISRO has established a training facility for astronauts, offering classroom training, physical fitness training, simulator training, and flight suit training to prepare them for the Gaganyaan mission. ISRO is planning to expand the team and budget for future human missions.The Gaganyaan mission has a budget of approximately 90.23 billion rupees (about 1.2 billion US dollars).

Testing Escape System for Human Space Flight Mission ‘Gaganyaan’

In the Gaganyaan mission, if there is a malfunction in the rocket, a test of how the crew can be safely returned to Earth will be conducted. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is preparing for a Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission-1 for this purpose. The Crew Escape System means that if any issues arise during the mission, astronauts can safely return to Earth within the rocket.

ISRO Faces Daily Cyber Threats; Somanath Reveals Attempts to Steal Chip Software in Rockets

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) faces cyber threats daily, with more than 100 attempts to compromise its software. ISRO Chief S. Somanath disclosed this information during a two-day International Cyber Conference in Kochi, Kerala.

Hope Revives for Chandrayaan-3: Efforts to Reach the Moon’s South Pole Begin Anew

Expectations are renewed for Chandrayaan-3, as the lander and rover are set to attempt another landing on the moon’s south pole after 14 days. ISRO plans to re-establish contact with the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover, which have been in sleep mode, on September 22.