First test vehicle demonstration - TV-D1, under the Gaganyaan mission, likely to take place in May

The first test vehicle demonstration (TV-D1) under the Gaganyaan mission is likely to take place in May this year, with the first uncrewed mission to be undertaken only after the success of two such demonstrations, according to the reply of Minister of State for Department of Space Jitendra Singh in Parliament on Wednesday. The test vehicle demonstration has been designed to test the processes for aborting the mission mid-air, the parachute system that will bring the crew module down to sea, and the recovery of crew members from the module after splashdown. The demonstration will use a single liquid propellantbased rocket stage to carry the crew module to sub-orbital level.

Two more test vehicle demonstrations will be undertaken before the second uncrewed mission, which will carry a pressurised crew module unlike the first uncrewed mission.

“As per the current schedule, the first uncrewed mission may be attempted by the end of the year, another uncrewed mission by mid-2024. The first crewed mission has been scheduled for late 2024 or early 2025. However, this will all depend on how the tests go,” said an official from the space agency.

“Although helicopter based air drop tests have already been carried out, a helicopter – or any airplane for that matter – cannot go to an altitude of say 10 km from the surface of the earth. The test vehicle missions will test all systems and processes at a much greater height,” said the official.

The mission was initially supposed to have only two uncrewed missions and then a crewed mission. The minister’s reply in Parliament, however, says, “Gaganyaan Advisory Council has recommended testing of Crew Escape System and deceleration systems through four abort missions using Test Vehicle (TV) and Integrated Air Drop Tests before proceeding with crewed missions. This is in addition to the two uncrewed missions planned earlier.”