The PSLV-C54/EOS-06 mission, which carried Oceansat-3 and eight nanosatellites, was launched by the Indian Space Research Organization on November 26 from Sriharikota Spaceport.
The launching has been scheduled for Saturday at 11.46 a.m. by the national space agency. When asked about the people in the rocket, a high-ranking ISRO official responded, "The mission includes EOS-06 (Oceansat-3) plus eight nanosatellites (BhutanSat, 'Anand' from Pixxel, Thybolt two numbers from Dhruva Space, and Astrocast - four numbers from Spaceflight USA).”
Furthermore, on Sunday, the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre of the Indian Space Agency conducted the Integrated Main Parachute Airdrop Test (IMAT) on the crew module deceleration system of the first Gaganyaan human spaceflight program.
The parachute airdrop took place in the Uttar Pradesh district of Jhansi.
In addition to the relatively small ACS, pilot, and drogue parachutes, the Gaganyaan deceleration system comprises three major parachutes that slow down the crew module to a safe landing speed, according to an assertion from ISRO.
The ISRO added that the IMAT test replicated the scenario when one main parachute was unable to open, adding that two of the three major chutes are suitable to plant the passengers on earth, while the third is replaceable. Before the parachute system is approved for use in the first human spaceflight mission, a sequence of coordinated parachute airdrop experiments with varying risk events have to be conducted, the first one being the IMAT test.
Using an IL-76 aircraft from the Indian Air Force, a five-ton dummy mass—equivalent to the passenger module mass—was flown to a height of 2.5 kilometers before being dropped. Two small pyro-based mortar-deployed pilot parachutes were then used to withdraw the major parachutes.
"The fully inflated main parachutes reduced the payload speed to a safe landing speed. The entire sequence lasted about 2-3 minutes as the scientists watched the different phases of the deployment sequence unfold with bated breath," in a report, ISRO said.
