Gaganyaan Mission: ISRO TV-D1 flight test placed on hold

Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh): The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Saturday aborted the launch of the first uncrewed test flight (TV-D1 Flight Test) in the Gaganyaan Mission.

"Gaganyaan's First Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission-1 (TV-D1) launch has been placed on hold. The next schedule will be announced soon," ISRO chief S Somnath said.

"The lift-off attempt could not happen today...engine ignition has not happened in the nominal course; we need to find out what went wrong. The vehicle is safe, we need to look at what happened...we will come back soon...the computer which is doing function has withheld the launch...we will correct it and schedule launch soon." the ISRO chief said in a brief interaction with the media.

This flight Test Vehicle Abort mission is conducted to demonstrate the performance of the Crew Escape system as part of the Gaganyaan mission. It will also test the safe landing in the Bay of Bengal after the rocket launch.

The mission objectives of the TV-D1 launch are: Flight demonstration and evaluation of Test Vehicle subsystems, flight demonstration and evaluation of the Crew Escape System including various separation systems, crew Module characteristics & deceleration systems demonstration at higher altitudes & its recovery.

(With ANI inputs)