New Delhi / Visakhapatnam: With the commencement of harbour trials at the Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam, the recovery trial operations of the Gaganyaan mission entered into the second phase.

The trials were conducted at the Eastern Naval Command in Andhra Pradesh’s Visakhapatnam, using a mass and shape simulated Crew Module Mockup. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Indian Navy jointly carried out the trials on July 20 with the ship identified for the recovery operations during the first Development Mission of the Test Vehicle.

A crucial component in the testing process, this mockup was to ensure that the recovery procedures accurately simulated conditions, ISRO said in a statement on July 22.

During the trials, various stages of recovery were simulated including the attachment of the recovery buoy, towing, handling and lifting of the crew module onto the ship deck, it was stated. These procedures were executed according to the recovery sequence, demonstrating the preparedness of the teams involved.

The Standard Operating Procedures were fine-tuned based on the experiences from the phase-1 trials at the Water Survival Training Facility in Kochi to ensure a seamless and safe recovery process. This iterative approach allowed for refinements to be made, enhancing the efficiency and reliability of the recovery operations, the national space agency said.

Gaganyaan project envisages demonstration of human spaceflight capability by launching a crew of three members to an orbit of 400 km for a three-day mission and bring them back safely to earth, by landing in Indian sea waters, according to ISRO.