Isro moves closer to Gaganyaan launch, completes key engine development

India Today

18 hours ago

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) announced Friday it has successfully completed the development of the Service Module Propulsion System (SMPS) for its ambitious Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission, following the conclusion of its qualification test program. The milestone moves India closer to its first crewed space mission, slated for the first quarter of 2027.A full-duration hot test of the SMPS was conducted for 350 seconds on Friday at the Isro Propulsion Complex (IPRC) in Tamil Nadu's Mahendragiri. The test was designed to validate the integrated performance of the system for a flight off-nominal mission profile, specifically an SM-based abort scenario during the ascent phase. Officials stated the propulsion system's overall performance during the test was normal and aligned with pre-test predictions.advertisementThe Service Module (SM) of the Gaganyaan mission is a regulated bi-propellant propulsion system vital for various orbital manoeuvres. It is responsible for orbit circularisation, on-orbit control, de-boost manoeuvring, and crucial Service Module-based abort operations during the ascent phase. The system comprises five Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) engines, each providing 440 Newtons of thrust for main propulsion, and 16 Reaction Control System (RCS) thrusters, each delivering 100 Newtons for precise attitude control.
A dedicated System Demonstration Model (SDM) test bed, replicating the SMPS fluid circuit, was used for the extensive qualification programme. This SDM underwent 25 tests under both nominal and off-nominal conditions, accumulating a total duration of 14,331 seconds, to meet various Gaganyaan mission scenarios and human-rating requirements.The Gaganyaan Service Module Propulsion System was designed, developed, and developed by Isro's Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC). Its robust design and successful testing are considered essential for ensuring crew safety and the overall success of the mission, particularly its capability to handle complex manoeuvres and emergency abort scenarios.India's Gaganyaan mission aims to send Indian astronauts into low-Earth orbit, approximately 400 kilometres above Earth, for several days before their safe return. This latest achievement follows other key test milestones, including the TV-D1 abort test and the first uncrewed Test Vehicle mission conducted earlier this year.The mission will utilise the human-rated LVM3 launch vehicle, a robust Crew Escape System, and meticulously engineered Crew and Service Modules, all currently undergoing final integration and testing.Astronaut training is also progressing steadily, with three Indian Air Force pilots, now designated as astronauts, having completed initial training in Russia and continuing with mission-specific preparations in India.- EndsTune InMust Watch