Indian Space Research Organisation, ISRO tests its Crew Escape System, critical for human spaceflight programme. The test, which was unmanned, is designed to validate the launch escape system that would carry the spacecraft and its crew to safety in the event of a major malfunction during the early stages of a future manned launch.
Bengaluru (ISJ) – In a major leap towards indigenisation, Indian Space Research Organisation, ISRO has conducted tests for its Crew Escape System, critical for human spaceflight.
The test, which was unmanned, is designed to validate the launch escape system that would carry the spacecraft and its crew to safety in the event of a major malfunction during the early stages of a future manned launch. A launch escape system can also protect the crew against a failure during the early stages of ascent. The Pad Abort Test lasting for over four minutes, demonstrated the safe recovery of the crew module in case of any exigency at the launch pad. ISRO, however, has not made public its plans for a manned mission.
“The Crew Escape System alongwith the simulated crew module lifted off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota today (July 05) and then arced out over the Bay of Bengal, 2.9 kms from Sriharikota,” said an official announcement.
Nearly 300 sensors recorded various mission performance parameters during the test flight. Three recovery boats are being exercised to retrieve the module as part of the recovery protocol.
ISRO has plans to develop and launch the Orbital Vehicle, which would carry a two-member crew to 300 km Low Earth Orbit and their safe return. It had successfully demonstrated the Crew Module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment (CARE) in December, 2014.
