Gaganyaan: ISRO Successfully Tests Service Module Propulsion System. Know Its Significance

Gaganyaan Mission: The Indian Space Research Organisation successfully tested the Gaganyaan Module Propulsion System (SMPS) on July 19, 2023, a feat important for the performance of the orbital module

Gaganyaan: The test was conducted at the ISRO Propulsion Complex in Mahendragiri, and involved five liquid apogee motor engines. Liquid apogee motor engines are chemical rocket engines used as the main engine in a spacecraft.

Source : ISRO

Gaganyaan Mission: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully tested the Gaganyaan Module Propulsion System (SMPS) on July 19, 2023, a feat important for the performance of the orbital module. The test was conducted at the ISRO Propulsion Complex in Mahendragiri, and involved five liquid apogee motor engines, the Indian space agency said on its website. Liquid apogee motor engines are chemical rocket engines used as the main engine in a spacecraft. Such an engine is controlled by two electrically-driven valves which provide thrust. 

The five liquid apogee motor engines tested by ISRO were powered with a thirst of 440 Newtons. As many as 16 reaction control system thrusters were also tested. These had a thrust of 100 Newtons. A reaction control system enables a spacecraft to maintain attitude control and steering with the help of thrusters. 

ISRO successfully tested the Gaganyaan Service Module Propulsion System (SMPS) – which caters to the requirements of the Orbital Module – at IPRC, Mahendragiri.

The hot test was conducted in SMPS’s final configuration. https://t.co/yO0O1I77p2 pic.twitter.com/0Wn4KzGfTU

— ISRO (@isro) July 20, 2023

Gaganyaan's service module will use two types of propellants. The service module will help the Gaganyaan spacecraft perform orbit injection and manoeuvres, and will allow the mission to be aborted in case of any mishap during the ascent phase. 

The service module will receive the main propulsion force during the ascending phase with the help of the liquid apogee motor engines. 

During the hot test of the System Demonstration Model (SDM), the propellant tank feed system, the helium pressurisation system, flight-qualified thrusters, and control components were checked. 

This test was a part of the Phase-2 test series. 

As many as five hot tests were conducted as part of the Phase-1 test series. 

The Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre has designed and developed the Gaganyaan Service Module Propulsion System. 

Next, ISRO plans to conduct five additional tests to emulate other mission scenarios.

On July 14, 2023, ISRO launched Chandrayaan-3, India’s third lunar exploration mission. If Chandrayaan-3 successfully makes a soft landing on the Moon, India will become the fourth country in the world to make a spacecraft softly land on Earth’s natural satellite.