ISRO conducts main parachute air drop test for Gaganyaan’s crew module

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducted a critical test on the main parachutes for the Gaganyaan’s crew module.

• The test was carried out at the Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) drop zone in Sheopur, Madhya Pradesh on July 7.

• The objective of this test was to qualify the main parachute for its structural integrity and design margins under the maximum expected load conditions in the first uncrewed Gaganyaan mission.

• During the test, a simulated assembly of a single main parachute and a dummy mass was dropped from an altitude of 2.5 km using an Indian Air Force IL-76 aircraft.

• Upon release, a drogue parachute was deployed. These types of parachutes are known to stabilise the crew module and reduce its velocity significantly.

• Subsequently, the main parachute was deployed, slowing the payload to a safe terminal speed.

• This successful test was a joint effort of ISRO, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Indian Air Force and Indian Army.

• This is the fifth test in a series of integrated main parachute airdrop tests (IMAT) to qualify the critical main parachute for the Gaganyaan Mission. 

• The successful completion of IMAT-05 provides necessary confidence in the performance and reliability of the Main Parachute System for the first uncrewed Gaganyaan Mission.

• The Gaganyaan’s crew module is equipped with 10 parachutes of four different types.

• There are two apex cover separation parachutes, which remove the apex cover from the descending vehicle. The apex cover protects the parachute compartment from re-entry heat.

• Then, there are two drogue parachutes and three pilot parachutes, which independently extract and deploy three main parachutes.

Gaganyaan Mission

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the Gaganyaan mission in his Independence Day address in 2018.

• Gaganyaan project envisages demonstration of human spaceflight capability by launching a crew of three members to an orbit of 400 km for a three days mission and bring them back safely to Earth, by landing in Indian sea waters.

• For the first human spaceflight, four Indian Air Force pilots have been selected and are undergoing extensive training for the mission.

• A budget of Rs 9,023 crore is allocated towards achieving the objectives of the mission.

• ISRO developed indigenous technologies for the launch vehicle, habitable Crew Module, life support system, Crew Escape System, ground station network, crew training and recovery.

• These technologies are crucial to meet the objectives of Gaganyaan mission and to take up any further interplanetary missions.

• Gaganyaan will not be a one-off mission as the government has given approval for a sustained human spaceflight programme.

• The programme comprises three uncrewed missions and one crewed mission.

• The maiden Gaganyaan uncrewed mission is expected to be launched with a humanoid robot, Vyommitra.

• The first crewed mission is targeted in 2027-28.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)