India’s space programme achieved a significant milestone on December 18, 2024, as the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) began assembling the Human-Rated Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (HLVM3) at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC). This marks the commencement of the Gaganyaan-G1 launch campaign, the first uncrewed mission under the ambitious Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme. The assembly began with the stacking of the nozzle-end segment of the S200 solid rocket motor. This development coincides with the tenth anniversary of the LVM3-X/CARE mission conducted on the same date in 2014.
HLVM3: A Step Towards Human Spaceflight
The HLVM3, an advanced version of the LVM3 rocket, has been specifically engineered for human spaceflight. Standing at 53 metres tall and weighing 640 tonnes, the three-stage rocket can carry up to 10 tonnes to low Earth orbit. Key upgrades include a human-rated design and a Crew Escape System (CES), intended to ensure the safe ejection of the Crew Module in the event of an anomaly during ascent.
According to reports, preparations are underway with the assembly of the S200 motors, while the L110 liquid stage and C32 cryogenic stage are ready at the launch complex. The Crew Module integration is being conducted at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), and the Service Module is being prepared at the U.R. Rao Satellite Centre (URSC).
Significance of the Mission
The upcoming uncrewed flight aims to validate human-rated systems in a controlled environment. The Crew Module, designed with enhanced safety margins and redundancy, features technologies tested during the LVM3-X/CARE mission. That mission, conducted in 2014, demonstrated critical technologies such as controlled re-entry and splashdown, providing invaluable data for subsequent human spaceflight developments.
As ISRO progresses with its maiden human spaceflight mission, the Gaganyaan programme is expected to pave the way for India’s long-term vision, including the establishment of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS), which will mark a new chapter in the country’s space exploration efforts.