Building on the success of the SpaDeX mission, India’s space agency ISRO wants to use space docking technologies and numerous launches for its first crewed lunar trip in 2040. This will be a cost-effective method.
ISRO’s most potent rocket, the LVM3, also called the GSLV MK-III, is built to lift larger loads into orbit. Under the Gaganyaan program, it is currently being modified for crewed missions, with redundant systems providing more thrust and dependability. Among the changes is a human-rated version of LVM3 (HR-LVM3) with enhanced avionics for human spaceflight and safety measures like a crew escape mechanism.
Additionally, ISRO is working on the Soorya, a new heavy-lift rocket with a partially reusable first stage that will be 92 meters tall. The Bharatiya Antariksh Station assembly as well as upcoming operational requirements, such as crewed lunar missions, are intended to be supported by this rocket.
An innovative strategy that deviates from the norm is part of India’s ambitious ambition for its first crewed lunar mission in 2040.
Astronauts have been traveling to the Moon on enormous rockets for decades. However, India’s first crewed lunar mission has a different agenda. ISRO will employ several launches rather than a single massive rocket. In order to assemble the spacecraft in orbit, the agency will dock modules in space.
Setting the mission for 2040 is a significant step. ISRO will expand on its recent success in space docking.
India’s ambitious plans for a crewed lunar mission involve significant advancements in technology and infrastructure, with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) aiming for a lunar landing by 2040. The mission’s architecture includes the development of a higher-capacity lander, which is essential for safely delivering astronauts to the lunar surface and returning them to lunar orbit.
ISRO is tasked with creating a new lander capable of carrying heavier payloads, specifically designed to support human landings on the Moon. This includes developing advanced engines, propellant systems, and landing technologies necessary for precise lunar landings.
The mission will utilise two Soorya rockets. The first launch will deploy the Earth Departing Stage (EDS), while the second will carry a stack that includes the Crew Module, Support Module, and
The astronauts will stay in this Crew module while traveling to and from the Moon.
In order to descend to the lunar surface, the astronauts from the Crew Module will move to the Lunar Module. They will return to the Crew Module after their mission on the Moon is over, and then they will return to Earth.
The mission will make use of docking technology breakthroughs that have been shown in recent ISRO flights. Instead than depending on a single big rocket, this method enables several launches and assembly in orbit.
TOI was given an explanation of the strategy by ISRO chairman V Narayanan. “One possibility is a single huge rocket. But later on, what happens to it?” he said. “We must consider cost and long-term benefits.”
Two modules will be sent by India independently, and they will dock in orbit. The Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX), which was tested earlier this year, is built upon by this.
ISRO finished its first orbital docking on January 16. Two 220-kg satellites that were initially separated by 11 kilometers were able to join. During docking, their orbit around the Earth was 28,400 km/h.
This accomplishment is essential to ISRO’s future initiatives. Future moon expeditions and India’s space station will be supported by it.
Docking in space is difficult and demands a high level of accuracy. Narayanan likened it to lining up two swift buses. “At 100 km/h, even a slight mistake can be costly,” he stated.
The docked satellites of SpaDeX now operate as a single entity. Power transfer between modules is the next obstacle. For Chandrayaan-4, which will require numerous dockings, this is crucial.
There will be further docking testing starting in mid-March. “This isn’t a one-time test,” Narayanan stated. “We must succeed under different conditions.”
ISRO will improve docking techniques with the use of SpaDeX. Propulsion, alignment, and automated controls will all be tested by engineers. India will get closer to long-term space missions with each step.
Docking will also be necessary for India’s proposed space station. Each of its five modules will launch independently before coming together in orbit. The first module has already received approval from the government.
ISRO is proceeding cautiously, testing every stage prior to launch. According to Narayanan, “We simulate everything before real tests,” “Only when fully confident do we proceed.”
ISRO is becoming an expert in orbital docking using SpaDeX. These abilities are essential for trips in outer space. India is getting closer to its aim of landing on the moon with every step.
