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Taking a first flight-related step in its Human Space Flight (HSF)
endeavour, Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) will, in nearly 45
days’ time, launch an unmanned crew module on the experimental GSLV MK
III flight.
“The date of the launch will be finalised at a review meeting
immediately after Deepavali celebrations. We will examine all aspects of
the crew module and the MK-III flight after which comes the launch
window and date,” Isro chairman K Radhakrishnan told Deccan Herald.
He said: “The government had sanctioned Rs 145 crore towards the HSF
programme. With that funding we have been able to develop a crew module
that will fly the astronauts to space, space suits, life support systems
and a host of technologies relevant to the HSF.
The first test trial, that of the crew module, will be undertaken in
November last week or December first week on the GSLV MK-III.”
The crew module will be injected into orbit by the GSLV at a height of
110-120 km in space from where it will fall towards the earth and be
recovered from sea. Isro will examine how the crew module and thermal
shield around it handle the heat and temperatures during re-entry into
the earth’s atmosphere.
The module’s behaviour during re-entry will determine the technologies
to be developed for the manned space flight. The Indian Air Force will
conduct trials of retrieving the crew module from sea after a
soft-landing. The three-and-a-half tonne module will transport two
astronauts to space. The astronauts inside the module will be able to
see flight data during the flight.
Once injected into orbit at a height of 270 km in the actual flight, the
module will orbit the earth for seven days and then prepare itself for
the flight back to the earth.
The module has to withstand temperatures running to 1,500 degrees
centigrade during the re-entry.
The heat shields will have to shake off the pressure on its re-entry. In
February 2003, the US space shuttle Columbia disintegrated during
re-entry as the thermal heat shields could not withstand the heat.
The manned flight to space will be undertaken after these tests pass the
space-quality criterion. The GSLV MK-III has made at least four to six
successful test flights, which means the HSF may take pace by 2020.
Isro’s model of building critical technologies, launch vehicles and
satellites at lower budgets has helped in the HSF project too. Besides,
several public and private sector companies have helped it build the module.
To name a few, the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) developed the
internal structure, SIDCO helped in making vibration-resistant
materials, and composite materials came from Valeth High Tech Composites.
Source : Isro’s human space flight endeavour inches ahead | idrw.org
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