ISRO commenced Crew Module Recovery Operations for Gaganyaan

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has commenced the trials as part of the preparation for Crew Module Recovery Operations for Gaganyaan Mission on 7th February, 2023. The initial trials were conducted in a closed pool in the Water Survival Test Facility (WSTF) located in Kochi. The trials were performed in the presence of Indian Navy personnels.



Gaganyaan is the first Indian Human Spaceflight mission that will be carried out in 2024. Under this mission ISRO will send 3 Indian Astronauts into the space above 400 KM’s over the Earth on a 3 days mission. It will be the demonstration of launching first human spaceflight capability into the space. The Astronauts will return to the Earth after 3 days by landing on the Indian sea water. A Team will recover the Astronauts from the Crew Module splashed into the sea water. Those recovery trials have been begun from today under the supervision of Indian Navy. The Indian Navy will lead the overall recovery operations of the Gaganyaan Crew Module.

The trials were conducted by using the Crew Module Recovery Module (CMRM) that simulates the mass, centre of gravity, outer dimensions and externals of the actual Crew Module at splashdown. ISRO and the Indian Navy also carried out all the sequence of operations required for the recovery of the Crew Module.
 

A number of trials will be carried out in the forthcoming days to do the extensive practise of recovery procedure that has to be done in the sea water. ISRO and the Indian Navy are yet to finalize the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for the recovery of the Crew Module and the Crew.