Countdown for test flight of space crew module to begin

Chennai The countdown for the first Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission-1 (TV-D1) on Saturday to demonstrate the crew escape system of the Indian rocket that would carry its astronauts to the space will begin at 8 a.m. on Friday, a senior Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) official said. India plans to orbit its astronauts in space in its own rocket for the first time sometime in 2025 and testing the crew escape system is part of that and the flight of TV-D1 will happen at 8 a.m. on Saturday.

This will be the first of the four test flights, said ISRO Chairman S.Somanath.

According to ISRO, the Saturday flight is for flight demonstration and evaluation of test vehicle sub systems; flight demonstration and evaluation of Crew Escape System including various separation systems and crew module characteristics and deceleration systems demonstration at higher altitude and its recovery.