ISRO conducts ground test of Sub-Orbital Launch Vehicle for Experiments (SOLVE) solid motor

The Indian Space Research Organisation successfully conducted the ground test of the Sub-Orbital Launch Vehicle for Experiments (SOLVE) solid motor on 3 July at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre.

• The successful test marks another significant milestone in preparations for India’s first human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan.
• The SOLVE vehicle is being developed as a flexible test platform to simulate different flight conditions for validating critical systems of the Gaganyaan mission.

About SOLVE (Sub-Orbital Launch Vehicle for Experiments)

• SOLVE is a solid motor-based sub-orbital launch vehicle designed specifically for conducting Gaganyaan test missions.
• It will carry the Gaganyaan Crew Module to an altitude of 10–17 km, where the module will separate from the launch vehicle.
• After separation, a series of 10 parachutes will deploy sequentially to slow the Crew Module before its splashdown in the sea.
• These missions will validate the deceleration and parachute recovery system of the Crew Module under different flight conditions.

• The solid propulsion stage is derived from the PSLV Strap-on Motor with modifications to meet Gaganyaan requirements.
• Major modifications include:
  • Development of a slow burn-rate solid propellant.
  • A straight nozzle configuration.
  • Secondary Injection Thrust Vector Control (SITVC) for improved steering and stability during flight.

About the Gaganyaan Mission

• Gaganyaan aims to demonstrate India’s capability to send three astronauts into Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
• Mission objectives include launching a crew of three to an altitude of approximately 400 km, keeping the crew in orbit for about three days, and safely returning them to Earth through splashdown in Indian sea waters.

• The mission will use the Human Rated LVM3 (HLVM3), an upgraded version of ISRO’s proven LVM3 heavy-lift launch vehicle. The launch vehicle consists of Solid stage, Liquid stage and Cryogenic upper stage.
• All systems have been redesigned and certified to meet human-rating standards, ensuring enhanced safety and reliability for crewed missions.

Crew Escape System (CES)

• The Crew Escape System (CES) is an important safety feature of the HLVM3.
• It is powered by high burn-rate solid motors capable of acting within milliseconds.
• In the event of an emergency at the launch pad or during ascent, the CES rapidly pulls the Crew Module away from the launch vehicle, carrying the astronauts to a safe distance before recovery.

Source: ISRO

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