ISRO, Indian Navy Carry Out 'Well Deck' Recovery Trial of Gaganyaan Mission

New Delhi: ISRO on Tuesday said it carried out 'well deck' recovery trials of the Gaganyaan with the Indian Navy on December 6.

The trials were carried out at Eastern Naval Command using a well deck ship off the coast of Vishakhapatnam, ISRO said in a statement.

The space agency said the well deck in a ship can be flooded with water so that boats, landing crafts, recovered spacecraft can be taken inside to dock within the ship.

ISRO Carries out Well Deck Recovery Trials of Gaganyaan 

Once the Crew Module lands in the sea at the end of the mission, the crew must be recovered as quickly as possible and with minimal discomfort, according to ISRO.

One of the preferred methods is to tow the Crew Module with the crew inside to the well deck of the ship, where they can exit comfortably, ISRO explained.

The space agency also noted that trials for well deck recovery were conducted using a mock-up that simulated the mass and shape of the Crew Module.

The sequence of operations for the well deck recovery of the Crew Module was conducted by the Indian Navy and ISRO during the trials. This sequence involves attaching the recovery buoy, towing, entering the well deck of the ship, positioning the Crew Module on the fixture, and draining the well deck, according to ISRO.

"This trial validated the overall operational sequence, ground fixtures, and will assist in refining the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). It is part of a series of recovery trials being carried out by the Indian Navy and ISRO to finalize SOPs for both nominal and off-nominal recovery operations," explained the Indian space agency.

What are Objectives of Gaganyaan Mission

The Gaganyaan mission, one of the projects approved by the Union Cabinet, marks India's first human spaceflight mission.

The Gaganyaan project aims to demonstrate India's human spaceflight capability by sending a crew of three members into a 400 km orbit for a three-day mission and safely returning them to Earth by landing in Indian sea waters.

ISRO Chairman S. Somanath stated in September that the mission is scheduled for launch by the end of 2024.