ISRO completes first air-drop test of Gaganyaan parachute system

ISRO successfully conducted the first Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-01) of the Gaganyaan mission’s parachute system near Sriharikota, validating a key safety mechanism for crew module recovery. The project, India’s first human spaceflight programme, will also include precursor unmanned missions

Bengaluru: ISRO on Sunday successfully carried out the first Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-01) to validate the parachute-based deceleration system for the upcoming Gaganyaan mission. An ISRO official told PTI that the end-to-end demonstration was conducted near Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

The exercise was jointly executed by ISRO, the Indian Air Force, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard. The Gaganyaan project aims to demonstrate India’s capability to send humans into space and safely return them to Earth. Planned as the country’s first human spaceflight programme, it will also involve precursor unmanned missions to test systems critical for crew safety.

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The parachute-based deceleration mechanism is a key component to ensure the safe recovery of the crew module during re-entry and landing.