Source: The Hindu
Context
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on 3 July 2026 successfully carried out the first ground (static) test of its new Sub-Orbital Launch Vehicle for Experiments (SOLVE) solid motor at the Static Test Facility of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR), Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The test — designated SOLVE-ST01 — was conducted for 10 hours (starting 10 AM) and validated the design and operational parameters of the motor, which “performed as expected.” SOLVE is a dedicated test platform built to carry out Integrated Parachute Tests (IPTs) for validating the parachute-based deceleration system of the Gaganyaan Crew Module under various simulated conditions. In these test missions, SOLVE will carry the Crew Module to an altitude of 10–17 km, separate it, and let it deploy a sequence of 10 parachutes before splashdown in the sea. The solid stage of SOLVE is derived from the PSLV Strap-on Motor — with modifications like a slow burn-rate propellant + straight nozzle with Secondary Injection Thrust Vector Control (SITVC). The test comes alongside other recent Gaganyaan milestones — IADT-02 (Second Integrated Air Drop Test) and Mission MITRA (behavioural study in Leh) — as India moves toward its first crewed spaceflight (Gaganyaan-4 / H1) targeted for Q1 2027.
What is SOLVE?
- Full form: Sub-Orbital Launch Vehicle for Experiments.
- Type: A solid motor-based sub-orbital rocket designed as a test platform.
- Purpose: To conduct Integrated Parachute Tests (IPTs) validating the deceleration system of Gaganyaan’s crew module.
- Test profile: Will carry the crew module to 10–17 km altitude → separate the module → deploy 10 parachutes in sequence → splashdown in the sea.
- Modularity: Provides flexibility to simulate various flight conditions in the actual Gaganyaan mission.
What other recent Gaganyaan tests has ISRO conducted?
- IADT-02 (Second Integrated Air Drop Test) — main parachute airdrop test showing robustness even under failure scenarios.
- Mission MITRA — behavioural + physiological study in Leh, Ladakh:
- Full form: Mapping of Interoperable Traits and Response Assessment.
- Duration: ~1 week.
- Participants: The 4 designated Indian astronauts + ISRO scientists + engineers + medical teams.
- Purpose: Study crew response to isolation, altitude, physical stress — simulating spaceflight conditions.
- TV-D1 (Test Vehicle – Demonstration 1) — first Crew Escape System test, October 2023. Successful.
What is the Gaganyaan mission?
- Announced: 15 August 2018 by PM Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech.
- Meaning: Gagan (celestial/sky) + Yaan (vehicle) in Sanskrit — “celestial vehicle.”
- Objective: India’s first indigenous human spaceflight — send astronauts into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and return them safely.
- Nodal Centre: VSSC, Thiruvananthapuram.
- Launch vehicle: HLVM3 (Human-rated Launch Vehicle Mark-3) — human-rated version of LVM3 (formerly GSLV Mk III).
- Target orbit: 400 km Low Earth Orbit.
- Duration: 3-7 days.
- Splashdown: Indian Ocean (Bay of Bengal / Arabian Sea).
What is Vyommitra?
- A humanoid robot with female features developed by ISRO.
- Vyom + Mitra = “Space + Friend” (Sanskrit).
- Will fly on the first uncrewed Gaganyaan test flight (G1) to simulate crew functions and monitor spacecraft conditions.
- Can perform basic tasks, monitor cabin parameters, and communicate.
How many countries have their own crewed spaceflight capability?
- 3 currently: USA, Russia (formerly Soviet Union), and China.
- India will be the 4th with Gaganyaan-4 in Q1 2027.
- First Indian in space: Rakesh Sharma aboard Soviet Soyuz T-11 to Salyut 7 in April 1984 — became the first Indian citizen and 138th human in space.
- Second Indian in space: Shubhanshu Shukla on Ax-4 to ISS in June-July 2025 — ended a 41-year gap.
What is ISRO?
- Full form: Indian Space Research Organisation.
- Established: 15 August 1969 (from INCOSPAR, 1962).
- Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka.
- Parent: Department of Space, Government of India (directly under the PM).
- Chairman (2026): Dr. V. Narayanan — assumed charge 14 January 2025, succeeding S. Somanath.
- Founder-figure: Dr. Vikram Sarabhai (“Father of India’s Space Programme”).
What is SDSC-SHAR?
- Full form: Satish Dhawan Space Centre – SHAR (Sriharikota High Altitude Range).
- Location: Sriharikota Island, Andhra Pradesh — Bay of Bengal coast.
- Established: 1971.
- Named after: Prof. Satish Dhawan (former ISRO Chairman) in 2002.
- India’s primary spaceport — hosts PSLV, GSLV, LVM3, SSLV, Vikram, and now SOLVE launches.
Practice MCQs
Q1. With reference to ISRO’s SOLVE rocket motor and its recent test, consider the following statements:
- SOLVE stands for Sub-Orbital Launch Vehicle for Experiments.
- Its first ground test (SOLVE-ST01) was conducted on 3 July 2026 at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.
- The solid stage of SOLVE has been derived from the PSLV Strap-on Motor.
- SOLVE is designed to place Gaganyaan directly into a 400 km Low Earth Orbit.
How many of the above statements are correct?
(a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All four (e) None
(Statement 4 is wrong; SOLVE is a SUB-ORBITAL test vehicle — it will carry the Gaganyaan crew module to only 10-17 km altitude for parachute testing, NOT to a 400 km orbit. The actual crewed Gaganyaan orbital mission will use HLVM3 rocket.)
Q2. With reference to the Gaganyaan crew module deceleration system, consider the following statements:
- It uses a sequence of 10 parachutes to reduce the velocity of the crew module before splashdown.
- The parachute system includes apex cover separation parachutes, drogue parachutes, pilot chutes, and main parachutes.
- Only 2 of the 3 main parachutes are required for safe landing, providing redundancy.
- The crew module is planned to land on solid ground, not sea, after re-entry.
How many of the above statements are correct?
(a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All four (e) None
(Statement 4 is wrong; the Gaganyaan crew module is planned to splashdown in the SEA (Indian Ocean) — NOT on solid ground.)
Answer Key
- (c) — Statement 4 wrong: SOLVE is sub-orbital, not orbital.
- (c) — Statement 4 wrong: Gaganyaan splashdown in sea, not land.
Exam Relevance
- UPSC Prelims & Mains: Very High — GS-III (Science & Technology, Space Sector, Indigenisation); Prelims (missions, rockets, astronauts); Mains (space policy, human spaceflight).
- NABARD Grade A: Medium — S&T awareness on space applications for agriculture (Earth observation, weather).
