Unmanned Experimental Spacecraft Successfully Launched as Part of India’s ‘Kaganyan’ Mission
An unmanned experimental spacecraft, as part of the ambitious ‘Kaganyan’ mission to send humans into space, was successfully launched from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh at 10 am on Saturday.
The spacecraft, named Kalan, separated from the long-range rocket and was safely parachuted into the Bay of Bengal, approximately 17 km from the ground. A naval team successfully recovered the model Kalan.
This launch marks a significant step towards the Indian Space Research Organization’s (ISRO) goal of sending three astronauts to a distant low-Earth orbit and bringing them back safely to Earth through the Kaganyan project. The ISRO plans to implement this project by 2025. In preparation for this, three-phase experiments are currently being conducted.
The first test event was scheduled to begin at 8 am on Saturday from the first launch pad at Sriharikota. However, it had to be postponed twice at 8.30 am and 8.45 am due to weather variability.
After the technical glitch was fixed, the test spaceship successfully launched at 10 am. It was launched 17 km above the ground by a TV-T1 rocket and later the model Kalan separated and parachuted 10 km from Sriharikota. The model was safely landed in the distant Bay of Bengal and promptly rescued by a special ship and a swimming team of the Indian Navy.
ISRO Chief, S. Somanath, congratulated the team for their work and explained the successful launch, stating, “All the stages were successfully completed as the rocket was launched, the sample container separated from the spacecraft, and landed safely in the ocean with parachutes. Subsequently, the sample container was recovered from the sea.” He further added that the technical glitch was detected at the last moment but was fixed immediately, allowing for a successful launch.
ISRO officials are pleased with the results of this launch and consider it the first significant milestone in the Kaganyan project. They assured that more tests will be carried out, with the first unmanned test spacecraft scheduled to be launched early next year.
Elaborate security arrangements were made in the Bay of Bengal near Sriharikota for the launch event, ensuring the safety of the operation. Fishermen in the area were given due warning to stay clear during the launch.
The data from the recovered sample will now undergo verification by the Navy, providing valuable insights and information to further advance India’s space exploration efforts.