ISRO Successfully Conducts Two Hot Tests of Gaganyaan Service Module Propulsion System

New Delhi – In a significant milestone for India’s human spaceflight programme, ISRO has successfully carried out two hot tests of the Gaganyaan Service Module Propulsion System (SMPS). These tests mark a crucial step forward in the Gaganyaan mission.

The tests were conducted on July 3 at the ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC) located in Mahendragiri, Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu.

"Two short-duration hot tests lasting 30 seconds and 100 seconds were conducted to validate the configuration of the test article. The overall performance of the propulsion system during these tests was in line with pre-test predictions," ISRO said in a statement.

During the 100-second test, ISRO also demonstrated the simultaneous operation of all Reaction Control System (RCS) thrusters in different modes (steady-state and pulsed), along with all Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) engines.

The development of the SMPS is being led by ISRO’s Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC). This propulsion system is a vital part of the Gaganyaan Orbital Module, required for orbital maneuvers and specific abort scenarios.

The SMPS consists of five Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) engines, each producing 440 Newtons of thrust, and sixteen Reaction Control System (RCS) thrusters, each generating 100 Newtons of thrust.

To make the test conditions as close to actual flight scenarios as possible, ISRO incorporated improvements in the test article based on insights from earlier hot tests.

"With the confidence gained from these successful tests, ISRO plans to carry out a full-duration hot test soon," the agency added.

The Gaganyaan mission, India’s first human spaceflight programme, is scheduled for launch in 2027. It aims to demonstrate the country’s ability to send a crewed spacecraft into low Earth orbit.

This year, ISRO is targeting two major milestones under the Gaganyaan programme: a second test vehicle mission and an uncrewed orbital flight. The uncrewed mission will validate key systems related to crew safety and recovery — paving the way for India’s eventual manned spaceflight.

Meanwhile, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, one of the four astronaut-designates for the Gaganyaan mission, is currently conducting scientific experiments aboard the International Space Station (ISS). These experiments are expected to benefit India’s human spaceflight capabilities.

With inputs from IANS