The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has marked a significant milestone towards the ambitious Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme by initiating the assembly of HLVM3. This assembly process commenced at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR) in Sriharikota. The mission, which is scheduled for launch in 2025, will be the first uncrewed flight under the Gaganyaan programme. The data collected from this mission will be instrumental for the success of future manned missions.
The initiation of the assembly coincides with the 10th anniversary of the LVM3-X / CARE mission, which was conducted on December 18, 2014. On the 10th anniversary of LVM3-X/CARE, ISRO begins assembly of HLVM3 for Gaganyaan’s first uncrewed flight! A major step toward India ‘s maiden human spaceflight and future space ambitions, ISRO announced.
The official launch campaign of the HLVM3-G1 / OM-1 mission began with the stacking of the nozzle end segment with a full flex seal nozzle of the S200 motor at 8.45 Hrs on December 18 at SDSC.
During the 2014 mission, LVM3-X, now renamed HLVM3, launched its maiden flight and lifted a Crew Module of mass of 3,775 kg (LVM3-X/CARE mission) into a suborbital altitude of 126 km. The Crew Module was oriented for a favourable re-entry using thrusters and later made a smooth splash down in the Bay of Bengal. It was retrieved by the Indian Coast Guard.
The Crew Module was developed as part of pre-project activities of the Human Spaceflight Project, well before the official Gaganyaan project was approved in 2019. It is a fitting coincidence that 10 years later, on the same day, ISRO is gearing up for the first uncrewed mission of Gaganyaan, by commencing the stacking of human-rated LVM3, ISRO noted.
Dr. S Somanath, Chairman of ISRO Mission, was then the Director of the LVM3-X/CARE mission. The new HLVM3, derived from LVM3, is designed with enhanced reliability to meet human safety considerations.
To ensure crew safety, the HLVM3 also features a Crew Escape System (CES), which is operational from the launch pad till its separation. The crew can safely eject from the Crew Module in case of an adverse situation. HLVM3 is a three-stage vehicle with a payload capacity of about 10 tonnes to LEO. The vehicle is 53 metres 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, ISRO said.
The success of the LVM3-X/CARE mission played a significant role in shaping the human spaceflight programme. The foundational data provided by the CARE mission was useful in developing the iterations in the Crew Module design of the Ganganyaan mission, along with subsequent pad abort tests, air-drop tests, and test vehicle flights.
The new Crew Module, designed with enhanced safety margins and multiple redundancies, will fly aboard the Human-rated LVM3, ensuring the safety of the Gaganyatris, ISRO said. Furthermore, the Gaganyaan programme will also play a vital role in the construction and operationalisation of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS).
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