The Gaganyaan Crew Module adopts a sphere-cone configuration primarily because its blunt base generates which effect to manage re-entry heating?
- Laminar boundary layer
- Detached bow shockwave
- Ablative combustion zone
- Supersonic vortex shedding
Answer: Detached bow shockwave
The blunt base of the sphere-cone configuration creates a detached bow shockwave that stands off from the vehicle surface, pushing intense re-entry heating away from the capsule, while the conical section provides aerodynamic lift for a controlled descent.