News: In October 2023, ISRO tested the Crew Escape System, which is crucial for astronaut safety in the Gaganyaan mission.
About Crew Escape System (CES) of Gaganyaan
- The CES is an emergency escape measure designed to quickly pull the crew module along with the astronauts to a safe distance from the launch vehicle in the event of a launch abort.
- Developed by: It is developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
- Aim: To ensure astronaut safety by extracting the crew module, with the crew inside, to a safe distance in the least possible time if something goes wrong during the mission.
- Types
- Puller type: The CES pulls the crew module away from the launch vehicle.
- Example – This one is used in Gaganyaan.
- Pusher type: The crew module is pushed away using compact, high-thrust liquid-fuel engines.
• The choice depends on propulsion technology and system integration aspects.- Example – vehicles like SpaceX’s Falcon 9)
- Puller type: The CES pulls the crew module away from the launch vehicle.
- Working mechanism
- The CES operates during the ascent’s atmospheric phase, when the Human-rated Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (HLVM3) accelerates to hypersonic speeds and faces very high structural loads.
- Speed matters: HLVM3 lifts off using two S200 solid-fuel boosters that cannot be shut down after ignition. So, if there is a problem, the CES must act faster than the rocket and pull the crew module away immediately.
- Escape action: CES pulls the crew module away with very high acceleration, up to ten times gravity.
- Crew safety posture: Astronauts sit in a “child-in-cradle” position so the brief high force is tolerable.
- After separation: CES releases the module at a safe distance.
- Descent control: A multistage parachute system slows the module step by step.
- Landing: The module splashes down in the sea within safe impact limits.
- Trigger decision: An Integrated Vehicle Health Management system monitors everything in real time and activates CES if needed.
