ISRO has achieved another significant milestone in the Gaganyaan program with the successful conduct of a crucial test on the main parachutes of the crew module.

The test was carried out at the Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment drop zone in Sheopur district of Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday. This marks a vital step in India’s preparations for its first human spaceflight mission.

The objective of the test was to qualify the main parachute for structural integrity and design margins under the maximum expected load conditions in the first uncrewed Gaganyaan G1 mission. ISRO confirmed in its statement on Wednesday that the test met all planned objectives, thereby strengthening confidence in the parachute system.

During the test, a simulated assembly comprising a single main parachute and a dummy mass was dropped from an altitude of 2.5 kilometres using an Indian Air Force IL-76 aircraft. Upon release, a drogue parachute was deployed.

Drogue parachutes are designed to stabilise the crew module and reduce its velocity significantly. Following this, the main parachute was deployed, slowing the payload to a safe terminal speed.

This was the fifth in a series of integrated main parachute airdrop tests, known as IMAT, conducted to qualify the critical main parachute for the Gaganyaan mission. The successful completion of IMAT-05 provides essential confidence in the performance and reliability of the main parachute system for the upcoming uncrewed G1 mission.

The deceleration system of the Gaganyaan crew module is a complex arrangement comprising a total of ten parachutes of four distinct types. The descent sequence begins with two apex cover separation parachutes that remove the protective cover of the parachute compartment.

This is followed by two drogue parachutes that stabilise and decelerate the module. Once the drogues are released, three pilot parachutes are deployed to extract three main parachutes. These main parachutes further slow down the crew module, ensuring a safe splashdown in the sea.

The robustness of this system has already been demonstrated in earlier tests, including scenarios where one of the main parachutes failed to deploy.

The redundancy built into the design ensures that two of the three main parachutes are sufficient to guarantee safe landing, with the third acting as backup. This layered safety mechanism is critical to the success of the mission.

The Gaganyaan program represents India’s first attempt to send astronauts into low-Earth orbit and return them safely. The parachute system is one of the most vital components of the mission, as it ensures the safe recovery of the crew module after re-entry.

With each successful test, ISRO moves closer to achieving the goal of demonstrating India’s human spaceflight capability.

The successful IMAT-05 test adds momentum to the program and highlights the progress being made in validating critical systems. It underscores ISRO’s commitment to ensuring safety and reliability before embarking on the crewed mission.

The uncrewed G1 mission will serve as a proving ground for these systems, paving the way for India’s entry into the select group of nations capable of independent human spaceflight.

PTI