Bengaluru (PTI): ISRO has successfully conducted two hot tests of the Gaganyaan Service Module Propulsion System (SMPS) at the space agency's Propulsion Complex in Mahendragiri on July 3.

The short-duration tests, lasting 30 seconds and 100 seconds respectively, were aimed at validating the test article configuration, ISRO said in a statement on Wednesday.

"The overall performance of the propulsion system during these hot tests was normal as per pre-test predictions. During the 100s test, simultaneous operation of all Reaction Control System (RCS) thrusters in different modes (steady state; pulsed) along with all Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) engines was also successfully demonstrated.

"ISRO's Liquid Propulsion System Centre (LPSC) is leading the technology development activities for the Gaganyaan SMPS. SMPS is a critical system of Gaganyaan Orbital Module and is required during orbital manoeuvring as well as specific abort scenarios," the space agency said.

It comprises five Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) engines (each 440N thrust) and 16 Reaction Control System (RCS) thrusters (each 100N thrust). In order to simulate the propulsion system conditions closer to flight, the SMPS test article for these hot tests incorporated improvements based on experience gained from earlier hot tests.

"With the confidence gained through these hot tests, ISRO will conduct a full duration hot test shortly," the statement said.

According to ISRO, the Gaganyaan programme aims to demonstrate India’s capability to launch a crewed spacecraft into low Earth orbit, and the experience and knowledge gained from this mission will be crucial for its success.

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Dehradun (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a roadshow in Dehradun on Tuesday, with a large crowd lining both sides of the road to greet him.

The prime minister is in the city to inaugurate the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway.

Before the roadshow, he stopped to pray at the Siddhpeeth Maa Datkali Temple near Dehradun on the border of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

He then embarked on a 12-kilometre road trip to the main event venue, Jaswant Ground, in Dehradun.

A large number of people, including school children, gathered to welcome the prime minister and showered flowers on his convoy.

A massive police force was deployed for security during the prime minister's movement.

Modi will inaugurate the Delhi-Dehradun economic corridor, which will cut the travel time between the two cities to less than half. He will also undertake a review of the wildlife passage on the elevated section of the high-speed expressway in Saharanpur.

The 213-kilometre six-lane access-controlled corridor has been built at a cost of over Rs 12,000 crore.

The corridor traverses through the states of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, and will reduce travel time between Delhi and Dehradun from over six hours at present to around two and a half hours, according to an official statement.