ISRO Successfully Tests Gaganyaan Mission's Parachute System
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducted the first Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-01) for the Gaganyaan mission's parachute system near Sriharikota. The test validated the crucial parachute-based deceleration system designed to ensure the safe recovery and landing of the crew module upon its return to Earth. The successful demonstration, a joint effort with the IAF, DRDO, Navy, and Coast Guard, is a critical milestone for India's ambitious human spaceflight programme.
Unpacked:
The parachute-based deceleration system ensures the crew module slows down safely during re-entry and landing, protecting astronauts from high-impact forces. This system is essential for a controlled descent and safe recovery in the sea, preventing injury and ensuring the module remains intact for rescue operations.
Upcoming milestones include further uncrewed test flights (Gaganyaan-1, Gaganyaan-2, and Gaganyaan-3), additional abort and safety system tests, and crew training. The first crewed flight is planned after these successful demonstrations, likely around 2027, contingent on the success of all preceding tests and safety validations.
Gaganyaan is ISRO’s most complex mission, involving human-rated systems, life support, and safe re-entry technologies. Unlike previous robotic missions like Chandrayaan and Mars Orbiter, it aims to send and safely return humans to space, making India only the fourth nation to achieve this.
The Indian Air Force (IAF), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Indian Navy, and Coast Guard partnered with ISRO. They contribute expertise in recovery operations, flight safety, search and rescue, and technical validation of systems critical for astronaut safety and post-landing recovery.