Indian Space Research Organization decided not to rush it Gaganyaan Project, the manned mission to space, as it wants to ensure the country’s first manned space flight is a “safe mission,” its chairman S Somanath said here on Thursday.
Gaganyaan was scheduled to launch in 2022, but was unduly delayed due to COVID-19, Somanath told reporters during the International Spacecraft Mission Deployment Conference (SMOPS-2023).
“We have a different mindset now. We think in such a way that we don’t want to rush anything. We made that decision. The main goal of manned space flight is a bulletproof mission,” said the ISRO boss.
The Space The agency has redefined the mission so that it leads to success on the first try. To this end, it has recently significantly expanded the test and demonstration mission. Those exercises included additional demolition missions to ensure crew safety, he explained.
According to Somanath, the first exercise is expected to take place in August, originally scheduled for July.
“Therefore, two abortion missions must take place this year, followed by an unmanned mission, possibly by early next year,” the ISRO chairman said.
The space scientist said all engine test programs have been completed within ISRO.
Somanath indicated that hectic activity is taking place and that there are at least some major tests happening every week.
“I have eight major tests coming up and if all tests pass without problems, the launch will be between 2024 and 2025. But when I encounter problems and challenges that come naturally in this process, I have to cut back on the schedule,” he added.
About India’s first solar mission, Aditya-L1, Somanath said the launch window is August this year to January next year.
“If we can’t launch it in August, we will launch it in January next year,” he added.
Regarding Chandrayaan-3, ISRO’s third lunar mission, Somanath said launch is scheduled for mid-July. ISRO will follow the same process used during the Chandrayaan-2 mission, he said.
“We are walking the same path as Chandrayaan-2 because we have already done so. We have experience of doing it this way, but it all depends on various other factors if there are any other emergency conditions,” Somanath said, adding, “The landing flight is the same as before. No change.” When asked how indigenous Chandrayaan-3 is, the ISRO Chairman said, “What we do in ISRO is 100 percent indigenous.” We don’t buy anything for it from anyone, but of course we buy some components like electronic ones Chips, processors and some high-end equipment, but we don’t buy anyone’s Chandrayaan lander.”
