Human Space Mission

ISRO

Kumar

Bay of Bengal

While India’s ambitiousis on the backburner as it does not figure high on the government’s priority list,is leaving no stone unturned as far as preparations are concerned.For the future mission, ISRO is readying for a pad abort test soon to check how the crew members can be brought back safely if an emergency occurs at the time of the human space missions launch.ISRO Chairman AS Kiransaid that though the launch of the human mission is still some time away, a pad abort test would be conducted.“In the earlier tests that were carried, the crew module had taken off from the launch site and had reached a certain altitude after which it was brought down. In this test, we can find out how to get the crew from the launch pad in the eventuality of an emergency at the launch pad itself,” Kumar said.In the past too, ISRO has carried out a few tests.In 2014, ISRO launched a successful GSLV Mk-III mission, which carried a Crew Module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment payload.Following the blast-off from the launch pad in Sriharikota, the payload separated from the upper stage of GSLV Mk-III and re-entered the atmosphere and safely landed overwith the help of its parachutes about 20 minutes 43 seconds after lift-off.The 3,775-kg Crew Module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment payload was carried to the intended height of 126 km.This was said to be one of the first experiments in India’s ambitious Human Space Mission, which envisages the development of a fully autonomous orbital vehicle, carrying two crew members to about 300-km low earth orbit and return to earth after a week. The extendable version of the spaceship will allow flights up to seven days, rendezvous and docking capability with space stations or with an orbital platform.The trials for the manned space missions began with the Space Capsule Recovery Experiment (SRE), launched using the PSLV rocket.That apart, ISRO has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Bengaluru-based Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM), to carry out basic research and studies on Human Physiological and Psychological requirements for Human Space Flight crew as a pre-project research and development activity.