ISRO has successfully carried out two more hot tests on the Gaganyaan Service Module Propulsion System

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) said on Thursday that it has successfully completed two additional hot tests on the Gaganyaan Service Module Propulsion System (SMPS) at the ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC) in Odisha. The second and third heat tests in the Service Module-System Demonstration Model (SM-SDM) phase-2 series were conducted on Wednesday. The Liquid Propulsion System Centre (LPSC) in Bengaluru and Valiamala, Thiruvananthapuram designed and built the SMPS. On July 19, the first heat test was carried out.The thrusters were tested in both continuous and pulse mode, in accordance with the mission profile, according to an Isro official.

"The initial hot test, which lasted 723.6 seconds, demonstrated orbital module injection as well as the calibration burn of 100 N thrusters and liquid apogee motor (LAM) engines." The calibration burn was critical for identifying and isolating any non-functional engines. The LAM engines and RCS thrusters behaved as predicted." In a statement, Isro stated.

According to the space agency, "the latter hot test, with a duration of 350 seconds, aimed to demonstrate the circularisation of the Orbital Module to achieve the final orbit."

Isro's Gaganyaan project aims to demonstrate human space flight capabilities by sending a crew of three people into a 400km orbit for a three-day trip and safely returning them to Earth by landing in Indian sea waters. The project is carried out using an ideal approach that takes into account in-house knowledge, Indian industry experience, intellectual skills of Indian academia and research institutes, and cutting-edge technology accessible from foreign organisations.

According to Isro scientists, the LAM engines ran in continuous mode during the current test, while the RCS thrusters fired in pulse mode. There will be three further hot tests to illustrate de-boosting needs and off-nominal mission circumstances. These experiments will evaluate and enhance the propulsion system's performance, assuring its preparedness for the future Gaganyaan mission.