The Indian Space Research Organisation on Friday successfully carried out the second Integrated Air Drop Test, or IADT-02, for the Gaganyaan Crew Module at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, validating the parachute system that will bring Indian astronauts safely back to Earth.
The test involved a simulated Crew Module weighing 5.7 tonnes, matching the mass planned for the first uncrewed Gaganyaan mission, G1.
The module was lifted by a Boeing CH-47 Chinook to an altitude of about three kilometres before being released over the Bay of Bengal near the Sriharikota coast.
After release, a sequence of 10 parachutes was deployed to gradually slow the falling module and ensure a safe splashdown. ISRO said the test successfully demonstrated the full parachute-based deceleration system in realistic conditions.
According to ISRO, the sequence begins with two apex cover separation parachutes that remove the protective cover over the parachute compartment. Two drogue parachutes are then deployed to stabilise and slow the module. Three pilot chutes then extract the three main parachutes, each of which opens separately.
Although only two main parachutes are needed for a safe landing, the third is included as a backup. The largest, main parachute has a diameter of 25 metres. All 10 parachutes were designed and manufactured in India.
The parachutes are intended to reduce the Crew Module's speed from nearly 700 kilometres per hour during descent to about 30 kilometres per hour at splashdown. In an actual mission, the first parachutes would deploy at altitudes between seven and 11 kilometres during re-entry.
The Crew Module was later recovered from the sea in a joint operation involving the Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, Defence Research and Development Organisation, and Indian Coast Guard.
ISRO said the successful test marks another step towards India's first human spaceflight mission, which is expected to cost more than Rs 10,000 crore.