Gaganyaan Mission Test Flight Live News Updates: Know Here In an era when space exploration has transcended national boundaries, India has carved its unique trajectory through the cosmos. India's space agency, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), is making waves with its Gaganyaan launch mission—a project that aims to send Indian astronauts into space, marking a significant leap in the nation's space exploration journey. The Gaganyaan spacecraft, named after the Sanskrit word for "craft or vehicle to the sky," represents India's ambitions to become the fourth country in the world capable of sending humans into space. The journey toward this extraordinary feat is underpinned by meticulous planning, rigorous testing, and unwavering commitment.
Launching the Dream: The Gaganyaan Launch Mission On a bright day at 10:00 local time (04:30 GMT) from the Sriharikota launch site, the Gaganyaan spacecraft embarked on its inaugural test flight. This event marked the first in a series of crucial trials, setting the stage for the mission to send Indian astronauts into space, projected for 2025. Before the spacecraft can carry human passengers to the cosmos, it must prove its capability to ensure the safety of the astronauts in case of a rocket malfunction. To address this concern, the ISRO project executed a flawless crew escape system (CES) test. This system's primary purpose is to move astronauts safely away from a malfunctioning rocket. In case of an emergency, it would enable the crew to distance themselves by at least 2 km (1.2 miles) from the rocket. The recent test flight, designated Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission-1 (or TV-D1), was essential in demonstrating that the crew's safety was a top priority. A significant delay of 45 minutes due to "weather-related issues" preceded the launch, adding to the anticipation and excitement surrounding this mission. However, the most nervewracking moment occurred just five seconds before the scheduled launch when the ground computer detected an anomaly and issued a hold command. Fortunately, ISRO's swift identification and correction of the issue allowed the launch to proceed, turning the event into a success.
Gaganyaan launch's Precarious Descent Post-launch, the Gaganyaan launch spacecraft embarked on a trajectory that would determine its viability for future manned missions. This trajectory included a critical moment—descent. To ensure a safe return, a series of parachutes were deployed as the module began its descent. The carefully executed descent placed the module in the waters of the Bay of Bengal, approximately 10 km from Sriharikota's coast.