Description

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Context

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has initiated a critical phase in the Gaganyaan mission by commencing the assembly of the Human Rated Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (HLVM3). The assembly is taking place at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota and is aimed at launching the maiden uncrewed flight early next year.

Details of the HLVM3 Assembly

The assembly began on December 18 with the stacking of the nozzle end segment of the S200 motor at SDSC. This marks the formal launch campaign for the HLVM3-G1/OM-1 mission.

Gaganyaan Mission

Objective:

Demonstrate human spaceflight capability by launching a three-member crew into an orbit of 400 km for a three-day mission.

Ensure safe return by landing in sea waters.

Mission Structure:

Three uncrewed missions to test and validate technologies.

One crewed mission following successful demonstration.

Safety and Redundancy:

Advanced crew escape systems.

Multiple safety measures integrated to safeguard astronauts during all mission phases.

10th Anniversary of LVM3-X/CARE Mission

The assembly coincides with the December 18, 2014, maiden flight of LVM3-X where a 3775 kg Crew Module was launched into a suborbital altitude of 126 km.

Key achievements of the 2014 mission include:

Controlled re-entry using thrusters.

Recovery of the Crew Module by the Indian Coast Guard from the Bay of Bengal, about 1600 km from SDSC.

The LVM3-X/CARE mission laid the groundwork for the Gaganyaan program, testing essential technologies like re-entry, deceleration and recovery.

Aspect	Details
Launch Vehicle	LVM3-X (Experimental Variant of GSLV Mark-III)
Launch Site	Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota
Payload	Crew Module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment (CARE)
Mission Type	Suborbital Test Flight
Primary Objective	To test the atmospheric re-entry and recovery capabilities of the Crew Module.
Payload Mass	3,735 kg
Altitude Achieved	126 km (Suborbital Altitude)
Mission Duration	Approximately 20 minutes
Technology Demonstrated Re-entry Systems Deceleration Systems Crew Module Recovery	Successfully tested heat shield performance during re-entry. Parachute deployment and control tested for smooth recovery. Recovery operations by the Indian Coast Guard were successful.
Milestones	Smooth liftoff and ascent. Crew Module separated from the launch vehicle at the desired altitude. Thrusters oriented the module for favorable re-entry trajectory. Recovered 1,600 km from SDSC in the Bay of Bengal by the Indian Coast Guard.

Sources:

Hindu

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q.Which of the following was a primary objective of the LVM3-X/CARE mission conducted in 2014?

Testing the re-entry and recovery capability of the Crew Module.
Deploying a satellite into geostationary orbit.
Validating the LVM3 vehicle in its suborbital flight configuration.

Select the correct answer using the codes below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2, and 3

Answer: (b)

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct. The primary objective of the mission was to test the Crew Module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment (CARE) which involved verifying the re-entry and recovery capabilities of the Crew Module.

Statement 2 is incorrect. The mission did not involve deploying a satellite; it was a suborbital test flight.

Statement 3 is correct. The mission aimed to validate the performance of the LVM3 vehicle in a suborbital flight configuration focusing on its structural and functional aspects.