In a significant step forward for India's ambitious Gaganyaan mission, recovery trial operations have officially advanced to the second phase. The commencement of harbor trials took place on July 20, 2023, at the esteemed Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam. Notably, the trials were conducted in collaboration between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Indian Navy.
The joint efforts involved the utilization of the same ship that had been identified for recovery operations during the initial Development Mission of the Test Vehicle, marking a crucial milestone in the nation's pursuit of manned space exploration. The trials were conducted at the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam, using a mass and shape simulated Crew Module Mockup (CMRM). This mockup was a crucial component in the testing process, ensuring that the recovery procedures accurately simulated conditions.
CMRM secured to Ship deck.
The various stages of recovery were simulated during the trials, including the attachment of the recovery buoy, towing, handling, and lifting of the crew module onto the ship deck. These procedures were executed according to the recovery sequence, demonstrating the preparedness of the teams involved.
To ensure a seamless and safe recovery process, the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were fine-tuned based on the experiences from the phase-1 trials at the Water Survival Training Facility (WSTF) in Kochi. This iterative approach allowed for refinements to be made, enhancing the efficiency and reliability of the recovery operations.
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