GSLV_MkIII

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has completed the first experimental test-flight of its heaviest rocket, GSLV Mk-III or LVM3, with a crew module.

The crew module atmospheric re-entry experiment (CARE) is part of the agency’s efforts to fly astronauts into the space.

The suborbital test-flight is designed to study the flight validation of the LVM3 vehicle in the first two stages and its telemetric systems, as well as re-entry characteristics of the crew module.

The GSLV MK III took-off from the second launchpad of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota.

"The performance of solid and liquid propulsion stages happened as expected."

Five and a half minutes after launch, the crew module separated from the rocket an altitude of 126km and splashed down into the Bay of Bengal, around 180km south of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, using parachute deployment system.

The module will be initially transported to Kamarajar Port near Chennai. It will later be moved to Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Kerala for further evaluations, the Press Trust of India reported.

The 3.73t-crew module is designed to carry up to three astronauts for future manned missions.

ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan was quoted by The Times of India as saying: "The performance of solid and liquid propulsion stages happened as expected. The crew module has plunged into the sea.

"The next developmental flight of the launch vehicle will be done in the next two years."

The 630t GSLV MK III vehicle has three stages, comprising two S200 large solid boosters in the first stage, the L110 re-startable liquid stage and C25 LOX/LH2 cryo stage. It could carry a 4t class of communication satellite into orbit.

Image: The suborbital test-flight is designed to study the flight validation of the LVM3 vehicle in the first two stages and re-entry characteristics of the crew module. Photo: courtesy of en:User:Johnxxx9.