On the 18th December the maiden flight of India’s GSLV-3 took place. Launching at 9:30 am local time, it was a historic launch for the India Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The launch aimed to test the atmospheric flight stability of the new rocket with around four tonnes of payload. However, this payload was no ordinary mass. Aboard the rocket was a 3800 kg unmanned crew capsule. Although this was just a mock-up, it is hoped that in the future Indian astronauts could be lifting off to LEO in the capsule.
WHAT HAPPENED?
The capsule, designed to carry three astronauts to space, detached itself from the rocket at a height of 127 kilometres. From there it reached its apogee before falling back down to Earth on its suborbital trajectory. After being slowed down by its parachutes, the capsule splashed down in the Bay of Bengal.
WHAT NEXT?
The ISRO has asked the Indian government for approximately 125 billion rupees ($1.9 billion) for its human spaceflight sector. Although funding has yet to have been approved, it is hoped once it is, Indian astronauts could be sent to space within just seven or eight years of the approval.
WHY SHOULD YOU BE EXCITED?
It is great that India are joining the party of space travel. With only Russia already sending cosmonauts to space via the Soyuz rocket, it is fairly quiet at the moment with regard to manned space travel. However, it is beginning to change. The US are hoping to send astronauts using private companies (beginning in 2016), ESA are starting to look at manned spaceflight options, and now India have actually launched a prototype of a future manned Indian space capsule. There are exciting times ahead!
WHAT HAPPENED?
The capsule, designed to carry three astronauts to space, detached itself from the rocket at a height of 127 kilometres. From there it reached its apogee before falling back down to Earth on its suborbital trajectory. After being slowed down by its parachutes, the capsule splashed down in the Bay of Bengal.
WHAT NEXT?
The ISRO has asked the Indian government for approximately 125 billion rupees ($1.9 billion) for its human spaceflight sector. Although funding has yet to have been approved, it is hoped once it is, Indian astronauts could be sent to space within just seven or eight years of the approval.
WHY SHOULD YOU BE EXCITED?
It is great that India are joining the party of space travel. With only Russia already sending cosmonauts to space via the Soyuz rocket, it is fairly quiet at the moment with regard to manned space travel. However, it is beginning to change. The US are hoping to send astronauts using private companies (beginning in 2016), ESA are starting to look at manned spaceflight options, and now India have actually launched a prototype of a future manned Indian space capsule. There are exciting times ahead!