What is Gaganyaan project ? ISRO sets up Human space flight Centre

Gaganyaan ISRO

• India has made the formal beginning of its ambitious Gaganyaan Human Spaceflight Programme with setting up of a Human Space Flight Center in Bengaluru to implement the project.

Highlights of Human Space Flight Center

• ISRO has established the Human Space Flight Centre at Bengaluru to carry out all its human space programmes.
• First of the human space programme of ISRO is the Gaganyaan project that will send three astronauts to orbit the earth.
• ISRO will also expand its human space programme of sending humans to a space station and the moon.
• The Human Space Flight Center will be headed by scientist Unnikrishnan Nair.

Background

About Human Spaceflight Programme

• Recently the Union Cabinet approved Rs 10,000 crore for India’s 1st Human spaceflight programme, Gaganyaan to be launched by 2022.
• In August 2018 the Prime Minister announced that India will attempt a manned mission, Gaganyaan into space by 2022. 
• The Gaganyaan programme will include two unmanned flights to be launched in December 2020 and July 2021 and one humanspace flight to be launched in December 2021.
• India’s first human spaceflight will carry 3 astronauts to a low earth orbit of 300 to 400 kilometres on board GSLV Mark III vehicle, for at least 7 days.
• If successful, India would be the 4th country to send manned mission after the Russia, USA and China.

Components of Gaganyaan

The most critical elements of the human mission are:

Rocket: GSLV Mk-III

• GSLV Mk-III with an indigenous cryogenic engine is capable of delivering heavier payloads deeper into space.
• In 2014, ISRO successfully tested an experimental flight of GSLX Mk-III
• In June 2017, ISRO successfully launched the first “developmental” flight of GSLV Mk-III carrying GSAT-19 satellite into space.
• The rocket will take the crew to the low-earth orbit (300-400 km)

Crew Module

• A crew module carrying three Indians will be attached with a service module.
• These two modules will be integrated with an advanced GSLV Mk III rocket.
• The crew members will be selected by the IAF and ISR.
• The crew will perform micro-gravity and other scientific experiments for a week.

Crew Module Atmospheric Re-entry technology - CARE

• Satellites that are launched for communication or remote sensing are meant to remain in space.
• However, a manned spacecraft needs to come back.
• While reentering Earth’s atmosphere, the spacecraft needs to withstand very high temperatures created due to friction.
• A prior critical experiment was carried out in 2014 along with GSLV MK-III when the CARE (Crew Module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment) capsule successfully demonstrated that it could survive atmospheric re-entry.

Crew Escape System - PAT

• The Crew Escape System is an emergency accident avoidance measure designed to quickly get astronauts and their spacecraft away from the launch vehicle if a malfunction occurs during the initial stage of the launch.
• In July 2018, ISRO completed the first successful flight ‘pad abort test’ or Crew Escape System.

Environmental Control & Life Support System ECLSS

• The crew module carrying human beings must have conditions inside suitable for humans to live comfortably.
• ECLSS will:
  • Maintain steady cabin pressure and air composition
  • Remove carbon dioxide and other harmful gases
  • Control temperature and humidity
  • Manage parameters like fire detection and suppression
• The layout, design and configuration of ECLSS inside the crew module have been finalised.