India's Gaganyaan mission has achieved a crucial milestone with the successful completion of crew egress trials conducted jointly by the Indian Navy and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). These trials took place at the Water Survival Training Facility in Kochi, situated at INS Garuda, the Navy's oldest naval air station, reported India Today.

The exercises focused on perfecting protocols for the safe extraction of Gaganyaatris—the Indian astronauts—from the crew module following its splashdown in the ocean. This step is vital for ensuring the astronauts' security in the critical moments after re-entry from space.

During the mock drills, teams simulated the recovery of the Gaganyaan capsule from the water, honing every aspect of the process. 

The Southern Naval Command led these efforts to refine procedures amid varying sea conditions, from calm waters to high waves.

The crew egress involves astronauts unbuckling themselves from the cramped module, exiting into the water or onto flotation devices, and transferring to rescue rafts.

Such training equips them to act swiftly and automatically, even if disoriented post-re-entry, while awaiting naval rescue ships.

These protocols prioritise not just speed but precision and the utmost safety of the astronauts.

Practised in a controlled environment, they mirror potential scenarios in the Indian Ocean, addressing the high risks immediately after landing in a mission as complex as Gaganyaan.

The Navy's involvement stems from the capsule's design to land in oceanic waters, leveraging their expertise in diving and water survival. This collaboration underscores the integrated approach to bringing the crew back unharmed.

Gaganyaan marks India's inaugural human spaceflight programme, aiming to launch a three-member crew into a 400-kilometre orbit for a three-day mission. The safe return to Indian waters represents the mission's crowning achievement.

This triumph at INS Garuda bolsters confidence across the team as India edges closer to its historic launch. With egress protocols now mastered, the path to realising the nation's space ambitions appears increasingly assured.

India Today