How does Gaganyaan’s vital crew escape system work?, Pg10

Key Highlights:

• The Gaganyaan mission aims to safely transport Indian astronauts to a low-earth orbit at approximately 400 km altitude.
• A dedicated Crew Escape System (CES) is designed to ensure crew safety during the initial atmospheric phase of the mission.
• The CES rapidly separates the crew module from a malfunctioning launch vehicle and moves it to a safe distance.
• ISRO conducted a successful test of the CES in October 2023 using a single-stage Test vehicle powered by the Vikas engine.

Detailed Insights:

• The atmospheric phase is critical as the rocket accelerates to hypersonic speeds, experiencing high structural loads.
• The HLVM3 rocket uses two powerful S200 solid-fuel boosters which cannot be shut down once ignited, necessitating a rapid CES response.
• The CES in Gaganyaan can impart acceleration up to 10 times that of gravity, tolerable for a few seconds in the correct body position.
• CES systems are classified as either puller type (used in Gaganyaan) or pusher type (used in vehicles like SpaceX’s Falcon 9).
• After separation, the crew module is decelerated by a multistage parachute system for a safe splashdown in the sea.
• The Integrated Vehicle Health Management system monitors vehicle systems and crew health in real time to decide when to activate the CES.
• ISRO plans additional Test vehicle flights to simulate other critical ascent trajectory conditions for the CES.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Crew Escape System (CES): A system designed to quickly remove the crew module from a failing launch vehicle.
• Hypersonic Speed: Speed exceeding five times the speed of sound.
• Integrated Vehicle Health Management system: A network of sensors, electronics, and software that monitors vehicle and crew health.