Gaganyaan Mission : ISRO to send Indian into space by 2022
- Thread starter Ashwin
- Start date
Future missions after Gaganyaan uncrewed G1, G2, G3 and crewed H1.
Demo indigenous IVA suit on H2.
G4 will be a cargo mission to ISS with reusable capability.
Indigenization of IVA suit, viewport and crew seat assembly. The 3 of which are currently being bought from Russia.
Differences of crew rated LVM3 over regular LVM3
Gaganyaan H2 mission objectives
Gaganyaan G5 mission objectives
NAL did a lot of wind tunnel work for the Gaganyaan mission:
A wind tunnel model of the LVM3 with the crew launch capsule:
Wish we had an upright photo of this model. Looks pretty good.
Gaganyaan Test Vehicle Crew Escape System under Acoustic Test at CSIR-NAL:
Transonic flutter studies of the grid fin on the crew escape system:
A wind tunnel model of the LVM3 with the crew launch capsule:
Wish we had an upright photo of this model. Looks pretty good.
Gaganyaan Test Vehicle Crew Escape System under Acoustic Test at CSIR-NAL:
Transonic flutter studies of the grid fin on the crew escape system:
Axiom Mission 4 crew training at ESA’s European Astronaut Centre
15/11/2024
The Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) crew is training at ESA’s European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Cologne, Germany, in preparation for their mission to the International Space Station, scheduled for no earlier than spring 2025.
From left to right: pilot Shubhanshu Shukla from India, ESA project astronaut and mission specialist Sławosz Uznański from Poland, and mission specialist Tibor Kapu from Hungary. The crew will fly under the command of Axiom Space’s Chief Astronaut, Peggy Whitson, who participated in commercial astronaut training at EAC in 2023.
At EAC, the crew is familiarising themselves with ESA systems, including the Columbus module, Europe’s science laboratory on the Space Station. While awaiting final approval from the Multilateral Crew Operations Panel (MCOP), the Ax-4 crew is also training at other international facilities including JAXA in Japan, Axiom Space, NASA, and SpaceX facilities in the US, to ensure readiness across all Space Station systems.
ESA’s Astronaut Centre is the main training hub for all European-built Space Station hardware and serves as a centre of excellence for astronaut selection, training, medical support, and surveillance, while also providing essential preparation for astronauts and their families throughout their missions.
The Columbus laboratory, ESA’s largest contribution to the International Space Station, is the first permanent European research facility in space. This cutting-edge lab offers 75 cubic metres of space, fully equipped with research tools, including ten internationally standardised payload racks. These racks house autonomous laboratories that support diverse scientific experiments in biology, physiology, fluid science, and more. External platforms extend the laboratory’s capabilities, enabling space science and Earth observation experiments. Columbus offers European scientists a unique weightless environment to conduct research that cannot be replicated on Earth, with findings transmitted back via dedicated data links.
Axiom Mission 4 crew training at ESA’s European Astronaut Centre
15/11/2024
The Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) crew is training at ESA’s European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Cologne, Germany, in preparation for their mission to the International Space Station, scheduled for no earlier than spring 2025.
From left to right: pilot Shubhanshu Shukla from India, ESA project astronaut and mission specialist Sławosz Uznański from Poland, and mission specialist Tibor Kapu from Hungary. The crew will fly under the command of Axiom Space’s Chief Astronaut, Peggy Whitson, who participated in commercial astronaut training at EAC in 2023.
At EAC, the crew is familiarising themselves with ESA systems, including the Columbus module, Europe’s science laboratory on the Space Station. While awaiting final approval from the Multilateral Crew Operations Panel (MCOP), the Ax-4 crew is also training at other international facilities including JAXA in Japan, Axiom Space, NASA, and SpaceX facilities in the US, to ensure readiness across all Space Station systems.
ESA’s Astronaut Centre is the main training hub for all European-built Space Station hardware and serves as a centre of excellence for astronaut selection, training, medical support, and surveillance, while also providing essential preparation for astronauts and their families throughout their missions.
The Columbus laboratory, ESA’s largest contribution to the International Space Station, is the first permanent European research facility in space. This cutting-edge lab offers 75 cubic metres of space, fully equipped with research tools, including ten internationally standardised payload racks. These racks house autonomous laboratories that support diverse scientific experiments in biology, physiology, fluid science, and more. External platforms extend the laboratory’s capabilities, enabling space science and Earth observation experiments. Columbus offers European scientists a unique weightless environment to conduct research that cannot be replicated on Earth, with findings transmitted back via dedicated data links.
Axiom Mission 4 crew training at ESA’s European Astronaut Centre
Probably the first ever look the human rated launch vehicle health management system hardware:
ISRO has put out a tender for Ship Borne Terminal (SBT) for the period between 1st March 2025 to 31st August 2025 for the Gaganyaan G1 mission. ISRO needs 2 such terminals for the mission. One in the Pacific Ocean & one in the Atlantic Ocean.
Culmination of Initial Phase of Training for Gaganyatris for Joint ISRO-NASA Mission to International Space Station
November 28, 2024
Towards the goal of accomplishing a joint ISRO-NASA effort to the International Space Station, the two Gaganyatris (Prime-Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and Backup-Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair) assigned for Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) commenced their training in the U.S.A from first week of August,2024. The initial phase of training has been completed successfully by the Gaganyatris.
During this phase of training, the Gaganyatris have completed initial orientations for mission-related ground facility tours, initial overview of mission launch phases, SpaceX suit fit checks, and selected space food options.
Furthermore, the training also included familiarization sessions with the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and various onboard systems of the International Space Station, including photography from space, daily operations routine, and communication protocols. One of the important highlights of this phase was training for various types of emergencies in space, including medical emergencies.
ISS Emergency Scenario Training
Medical Emergency Training
Upcoming training will primarily address the remaining modules of the U.S. Orbital Segment of the space station along with training towards conducting scientific research experiments in microgravity environment during the mission. In addition, the crew will train and perform different mission scenarios in the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.
Culmination of Initial Phase of Training for Gaganyatris for Joint ISRO-NASA Mission to International Space Station
November 28, 2024
Towards the goal of accomplishing a joint ISRO-NASA effort to the International Space Station, the two Gaganyatris (Prime-Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and Backup-Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair) assigned for Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) commenced their training in the U.S.A from first week of August,2024. The initial phase of training has been completed successfully by the Gaganyatris.
During this phase of training, the Gaganyatris have completed initial orientations for mission-related ground facility tours, initial overview of mission launch phases, SpaceX suit fit checks, and selected space food options.
Furthermore, the training also included familiarization sessions with the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and various onboard systems of the International Space Station, including photography from space, daily operations routine, and communication protocols. One of the important highlights of this phase was training for various types of emergencies in space, including medical emergencies.
ISS Emergency Scenario Training
Medical Emergency Training
Upcoming training will primarily address the remaining modules of the U.S. Orbital Segment of the space station along with training towards conducting scientific research experiments in microgravity environment during the mission. In addition, the crew will train and perform different mission scenarios in the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.
Culmination of Initial Phase of Training for Gaganyatris for Joint ISRO-NASA Mission to International Space Station
Indian Navy and ISRO gear up for Welldeck Recovery for Gaganyaan
December 09, 2024
Indian Navy and ISRO geared up for Gaganyaan recovery operations by carrying out “Well Deck” recovery trials on Friday Dec 06th, 2024. The trials were carried out Eastern Naval Command using welldeck ship off the coast of Vishakhapatnam. Well deck in a ship can be flooded with water so that boats, landing crafts, recovered spacecrafts can be taken inside to dock within the ship.
Once Crew Module touches down in the sea at the end of the mission, crew have to be recovered in the minimum possible time and with the least discomfort. One of the preferred options is to tow the Crew Module along with the crew inside the well deck of the ship where the crew can come out of the Crew Module comfortably.
The trials for carrying out well deck recovery were carried out using a mass and shape simulated Crew Module Mock-up.The sequence of operations for welldeck recovery of Crew Module was carried out by Indian Navy and ISRO during the trials. The sequence include the attachment of the recovery buoy, towing, entering into the well deck ship, positioning of CM on the fixture and draining of the well-deck.
This trial validated the overall sequence of operations, ground fixtures and will help in fine tuning Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). This trial is part of the series of recovery trials being carried out by Indian Navy and ISRO to finalise the SOPs for recovery operations for nominal as well as off-nominal conditions.
CM being lowered into the sea:
CM being towed:
CM entering well-deck:
CM positioned on well-deck fixture:
Indian Navy and ISRO gear up for Welldeck Recovery for Gaganyaan
December 09, 2024
Indian Navy and ISRO geared up for Gaganyaan recovery operations by carrying out “Well Deck” recovery trials on Friday Dec 06th, 2024. The trials were carried out Eastern Naval Command using welldeck ship off the coast of Vishakhapatnam. Well deck in a ship can be flooded with water so that boats, landing crafts, recovered spacecrafts can be taken inside to dock within the ship.
Once Crew Module touches down in the sea at the end of the mission, crew have to be recovered in the minimum possible time and with the least discomfort. One of the preferred options is to tow the Crew Module along with the crew inside the well deck of the ship where the crew can come out of the Crew Module comfortably.
The trials for carrying out well deck recovery were carried out using a mass and shape simulated Crew Module Mock-up.The sequence of operations for welldeck recovery of Crew Module was carried out by Indian Navy and ISRO during the trials. The sequence include the attachment of the recovery buoy, towing, entering into the well deck ship, positioning of CM on the fixture and draining of the well-deck.
This trial validated the overall sequence of operations, ground fixtures and will help in fine tuning Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). This trial is part of the series of recovery trials being carried out by Indian Navy and ISRO to finalise the SOPs for recovery operations for nominal as well as off-nominal conditions.
CM being lowered into the sea:
CM being towed:
CM entering well-deck:
CM positioned on well-deck fixture:
Indian Navy and ISRO gear up for Welldeck Recovery for Gaganyaan
Gaganyaan-G1 Launch campaign commences: Human Rated LVM3 assembly starts at SDSC for the first un-crewed flight
December 18, 2024
It was on December 18. 2014, that the Indian Coast Guard recovered the Crew Module from the turbulent seas of Bay of Bengal, approximately 1600 km from SDSC-SHAR. On the morning of the same day, LVM3-X in its maiden flight had lifted a Crew Module of mass of 3775 kg (LVM3-X/CARE mission) into a suborbital altitude of 126 km from where it was controlled using thrusters to orient it for a favourable re-entry. The Crew Module descended using parachutes to have a smooth splash down at the designated location. The Crew Module was developed as part of pre-project activities of Human Spaceflight Project, well before the official Gaganyaan project was approved in 2019. It is a fitting coincidence that ten years later, on the same day, ISRO is gearing up for the first un-crewed mission of Gaganyaan, by commencing the stacking of human-rated LVM3, christened HLVM3, at SDSC-SHAR.
ISRO has come a long way from the experimental mission of LVM3-X/CARE mission. The human rated launch vehicle, HLVM3, is derived from LVM3 and designed with enhanced reliability to meet human safety considerations. Additionally, a Crew Escape System (CES) is implemented to ensure crew safety by safe ejection of Crew Module (CM) in a potentially adverse situation. The CES is operational from the launch pad till its separation after the atmospheric flight regime. HLVM3 is a three-stage vehicle with a payload capacity of about 10 tonnes to LEO. The vehicle is 53 meters tall and weighs 640 tonnes. The vehicle is getting ready for launch with the Crew Module and associated systems undergoing final checks at ISRO centres.
The primary objective of the LVM3-X/CARE mission was to validate the vehicle's flight through the atmospheric regime and demonstrate the re-entry of a full-scale Crew Module into Earth's atmosphere. The mission achieved several critical technical milestones, including the flight validation of the LVM3 vehicle, synchronized performance of the paired S200 solid rocket boosters, twin-engine operation of the Vikas engines in L110 stage, control-sharing algorithms across L110 and S200 stages, and complex separation mechanisms. The success also validated the entire integration, assembly, testing, and launch servicing processes, as well as the mission design and simulation cycles, ensuring readiness for future missions. The CARE experiment itself served as a platform to evaluate the aerothermal performance of the Crew Module and validate critical re-entry technologies. It successfully demonstrated blunt-body re-entry aerodynamics, thermal protection systems, parachute-based deceleration mechanisms, and recovery logistics, providing invaluable insights for further developments.
The success of the LVM3-X/CARE mission was instrumental in ISRO's journey toward self-reliance in launching heavier satellites. LVM3 has since completed seven successive successful launches. The insights gained from the CARE mission have also been pivotal in shaping ISRO's human spaceflight program. Iterations in the Crew Module design, along with subsequent pad abort tests, air-drop tests and test vehicle flights, are built on the foundational data provided by CARE.
The human-rating of LVM3 has been completed and all systems have been tested for enhanced reliability. Ground tests and flight tests in off-nominal conditions have ensured the performance of these systems in line with human safety requirements. The addition of the highly reliable Crew Escape System (CES) has further increased confidence for the manned missions planned by ISRO. Escape provision exists for the crew during all phases of ascent till injection of the module into orbit.
As India prepares for its maiden human spaceflight under the Gaganyaan programme, the legacy of the LVM3-X/CARE mission becomes more relevant. The Crew Module designed with enhanced safety margins and multiple redundancies, will fly aboard the Human-rated LVM3, ensuring the safety of the Gaganyatris. The data gained through the un-crewed flights will be instrumental for the success of the manned missions. Further, the experience from Gaganyaan programme will play a vital role in the construction and operationalization of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS). This ambitious endeavour reflects ISRO's long-term vision and foresight to leverage established heritage for advancing India's space sector.
Dr. S Somanath, Mission Director of the LVM3-X/CARE mission now serves as the Secretary of the Department of Space and Chairman of ISRO, while Dr. S Unnikrishnan Nair, the Payload Director of the LVM3-X/ CARE mission became the founding Director of the Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC), Bengaluru and now leads the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram.
At 8.45 Hrs on 18thDecember, 2024 at SDSC, the stacking of the nozzle end segment with full flex seal nozzle of the S200 motor took place, thus commencing the official launch campaign of the HLVM3-G1 / OM-1 mission.
Preparation of both the S200 motors will now take place with the assembly of segments, control systems and avionics. L110 and C32 stages for the HLVM3 are ready at the launch complex. The Crew escape systems elements are also received at SDSC. The integration of Crew Module is happening at VSSC and the integration of Service Module at URSC. The Orbital Module (OM) level integration and tests will take place subsequently at URSC, Bangalore.
Gaganyaan-G1 Launch campaign commences: Human Rated LVM3 assembly starts at SDSC for the first un-crewed flight
December 18, 2024
It was on December 18. 2014, that the Indian Coast Guard recovered the Crew Module from the turbulent seas of Bay of Bengal, approximately 1600 km from SDSC-SHAR. On the morning of the same day, LVM3-X in its maiden flight had lifted a Crew Module of mass of 3775 kg (LVM3-X/CARE mission) into a suborbital altitude of 126 km from where it was controlled using thrusters to orient it for a favourable re-entry. The Crew Module descended using parachutes to have a smooth splash down at the designated location. The Crew Module was developed as part of pre-project activities of Human Spaceflight Project, well before the official Gaganyaan project was approved in 2019. It is a fitting coincidence that ten years later, on the same day, ISRO is gearing up for the first un-crewed mission of Gaganyaan, by commencing the stacking of human-rated LVM3, christened HLVM3, at SDSC-SHAR.
ISRO has come a long way from the experimental mission of LVM3-X/CARE mission. The human rated launch vehicle, HLVM3, is derived from LVM3 and designed with enhanced reliability to meet human safety considerations. Additionally, a Crew Escape System (CES) is implemented to ensure crew safety by safe ejection of Crew Module (CM) in a potentially adverse situation. The CES is operational from the launch pad till its separation after the atmospheric flight regime. HLVM3 is a three-stage vehicle with a payload capacity of about 10 tonnes to LEO. The vehicle is 53 meters tall and weighs 640 tonnes. The vehicle is getting ready for launch with the Crew Module and associated systems undergoing final checks at ISRO centres.
The primary objective of the LVM3-X/CARE mission was to validate the vehicle's flight through the atmospheric regime and demonstrate the re-entry of a full-scale Crew Module into Earth's atmosphere. The mission achieved several critical technical milestones, including the flight validation of the LVM3 vehicle, synchronized performance of the paired S200 solid rocket boosters, twin-engine operation of the Vikas engines in L110 stage, control-sharing algorithms across L110 and S200 stages, and complex separation mechanisms. The success also validated the entire integration, assembly, testing, and launch servicing processes, as well as the mission design and simulation cycles, ensuring readiness for future missions. The CARE experiment itself served as a platform to evaluate the aerothermal performance of the Crew Module and validate critical re-entry technologies. It successfully demonstrated blunt-body re-entry aerodynamics, thermal protection systems, parachute-based deceleration mechanisms, and recovery logistics, providing invaluable insights for further developments.
The success of the LVM3-X/CARE mission was instrumental in ISRO's journey toward self-reliance in launching heavier satellites. LVM3 has since completed seven successive successful launches. The insights gained from the CARE mission have also been pivotal in shaping ISRO's human spaceflight program. Iterations in the Crew Module design, along with subsequent pad abort tests, air-drop tests and test vehicle flights, are built on the foundational data provided by CARE.
The human-rating of LVM3 has been completed and all systems have been tested for enhanced reliability. Ground tests and flight tests in off-nominal conditions have ensured the performance of these systems in line with human safety requirements. The addition of the highly reliable Crew Escape System (CES) has further increased confidence for the manned missions planned by ISRO. Escape provision exists for the crew during all phases of ascent till injection of the module into orbit.
As India prepares for its maiden human spaceflight under the Gaganyaan programme, the legacy of the LVM3-X/CARE mission becomes more relevant. The Crew Module designed with enhanced safety margins and multiple redundancies, will fly aboard the Human-rated LVM3, ensuring the safety of the Gaganyatris. The data gained through the un-crewed flights will be instrumental for the success of the manned missions. Further, the experience from Gaganyaan programme will play a vital role in the construction and operationalization of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS). This ambitious endeavour reflects ISRO's long-term vision and foresight to leverage established heritage for advancing India's space sector.
Dr. S Somanath, Mission Director of the LVM3-X/CARE mission now serves as the Secretary of the Department of Space and Chairman of ISRO, while Dr. S Unnikrishnan Nair, the Payload Director of the LVM3-X/ CARE mission became the founding Director of the Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC), Bengaluru and now leads the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram.
At 8.45 Hrs on 18thDecember, 2024 at SDSC, the stacking of the nozzle end segment with full flex seal nozzle of the S200 motor took place, thus commencing the official launch campaign of the HLVM3-G1 / OM-1 mission.
Preparation of both the S200 motors will now take place with the assembly of segments, control systems and avionics. L110 and C32 stages for the HLVM3 are ready at the launch complex. The Crew escape systems elements are also received at SDSC. The integration of Crew Module is happening at VSSC and the integration of Service Module at URSC. The Orbital Module (OM) level integration and tests will take place subsequently at URSC, Bangalore.
Gaganyaan-G1 Launch campaign commences: Human Rated LVM3 assembly starts at SDSC for the first un-crewed flight
ISRO-ESA Agreement for Cooperation on Activities related to Astronaut Training, Mission Implementation and Research Experiments
December 21, 2024
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and European Space Agency (ESA) have entered into an agreement to cooperate on activities related to Astronaut Training, Mission Implementation and Research Experiments. The agreement was signed by Dr. S Somanath, Chairman, ISRO / Secretary, DoS and Dr. Josef Aschbacher, Director General, ESA.
The agreement provides a framework for cooperative activities in human space exploration and research, especially in areas such as astronaut training, support for experiment development and integration, including use of ESA facilities on International Space Station (ISS), human and biomedical research experiment implementation as well as joint education and outreach activities.
For the upcoming Axiom-4 mission in which ISRO’s Gaganyatri and ESA’s astronaut are crew members, both agencies are collaborating to implement shortlisted experiments by Indian Principal Investigators on ISS. Further, participation in ESA’s human physiological studies, technology demonstration experiments as well as joint educational outreach activities are also being pursued.
Dr. S Somanath in his remarks highlighted that ISRO has defined a roadmap for human space flight activities and the recent approval of Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) present an opportunity to develop interoperability between human spaceflight platforms. Dr. Aschbacher thanked Dr. Somanath for speaking at ESA Council and remarked that the agreement provides a strong basis of cooperation between the two agencies. The leadership of both agencies expressed satisfaction with the progress of joint activities for the upcoming Axiom-4 mission and underlined the need for continuing cooperative activities in the area of human spaceflight in future.
ISRO-ESA Agreement for Cooperation on Activities related to Astronaut Training, Mission Implementation and Research Experiments
December 21, 2024
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and European Space Agency (ESA) have entered into an agreement to cooperate on activities related to Astronaut Training, Mission Implementation and Research Experiments. The agreement was signed by Dr. S Somanath, Chairman, ISRO / Secretary, DoS and Dr. Josef Aschbacher, Director General, ESA.
The agreement provides a framework for cooperative activities in human space exploration and research, especially in areas such as astronaut training, support for experiment development and integration, including use of ESA facilities on International Space Station (ISS), human and biomedical research experiment implementation as well as joint education and outreach activities.
For the upcoming Axiom-4 mission in which ISRO’s Gaganyatri and ESA’s astronaut are crew members, both agencies are collaborating to implement shortlisted experiments by Indian Principal Investigators on ISS. Further, participation in ESA’s human physiological studies, technology demonstration experiments as well as joint educational outreach activities are also being pursued.
Dr. S Somanath in his remarks highlighted that ISRO has defined a roadmap for human space flight activities and the recent approval of Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) present an opportunity to develop interoperability between human spaceflight platforms. Dr. Aschbacher thanked Dr. Somanath for speaking at ESA Council and remarked that the agreement provides a strong basis of cooperation between the two agencies. The leadership of both agencies expressed satisfaction with the progress of joint activities for the upcoming Axiom-4 mission and underlined the need for continuing cooperative activities in the area of human spaceflight in future.
ISRO-ESA Agreement for Cooperation on Activities related to Astronaut Training, Mission Implementation and Research Experiments
Exploded view of Gaganyaan service module:
Abbreviations:
DGA - Dual Gimbal Antenna
CASS - Coarse Analog Sun Sensor
QFH - Quadrifilar Helix Antenna
LAM - Liquid Apogee Motor (440N each)
CS-CDS - Connect Disconnect System
HK elements - ??
Emergency Escape Slide Wire Rope Basket/Zipline System for Gaganyaan:
-For both crew and support staff
- SLP to landing platform in 30-40sec (450m)
- Escape platform with 3 baskets at 42.9m level of SLP UT
- Ramp from landing platform to CESB