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European Space Agency to support Gaganyaan mission

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European Space Agency to support Gaganyaan mission

  • Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and European Space Agency (ESA) signed a Technical Implementing Plan (TIP) document for Ground Tracking Support for India’s Gaganyaan missions.

Highlights:

  • The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the European Space Agency (ESA) have formalized their cooperation for the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission by signing a Technical Implementing Plan (TIP) on December 4, 2024. This agreement focuses on ground tracking support, ensuring robust communication and data flow for the Orbital Module during its orbital operations.

Details of the Agreement:

  • Purpose of TIP: ESA will provide ground station support, crucial for real-time monitoring and seamless communication with the Gaganyaan Orbital Module.
  • Signatories: The TIP was signed by Dr. Anil Kumar A. K., Director of ISTRAC (ISRO), and Dietmar Pilz, Director of Technology, Engineering and Quality at ESTEC, Netherlands (ESA), at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC).
  • The agreement builds on decades of collaboration between ISRO and ESA, marking another milestone in their partnership for advancing space exploration.

Gaganyaan Programme Overview

  • The Gaganyaan project is India’s ambitious initiative to demonstrate human spaceflight capabilities:
  • Mission Objectives:
    • A crew of three astronauts will orbit Earth at a height of 400 km for three days.
    • The mission aims to safely return the crew to Earth, landing in Indian territorial waters.
  • Mission Timeline:
    • Three uncrewed missions: The first uncrewed flight is planned for 2024-25.
    • One crewed mission: Expected between 2025-27.
  • Programme Milestones:
    • ISRO will conduct uncrewed missions to test technologies such as the crew escape system, Orbital Module, and life support systems before the crewed mission.

Importance of the TIP Agreement

  • Data Continuity: Reliable communication and telemetry are essential for the mission's success, especially during critical phases like orbital insertion and reentry.
  • Enhanced Safety: Ground tracking support will facilitate real-time decision-making, ensuring astronaut safety.
  • Global Cooperation: This partnership underscores the significance of international collaboration in space exploration.

Prelims Takeaways

  • Technical Implementing Plan (TIP)
  • European Space Agency (ESA)
  • Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)

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