The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has finished a significant Gaganyaan mission development test a day after successfully launching India’s first privately built rocket. India’s first manned space mission, Gaganyaan, is scheduled to launch the following year.
The ‘Integrated Main Parachute Airdrop Test (IMAT)’ of the crew module deceleration system was carried out by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) at the Babina Field Fire Range (BFFR) in the Uttar Pradeshi district of Jhansi.
Given India’s aspirations to launch the first astronaut mission from the ground by next year, the test is noteworthy.
Using an IL-76 aircraft from the Indian Air Force, a 5-ton dummy mass—equivalent to the Crew module mass—was flown to a height of 2.5 kilometres before being released. Two small pyro-based mortar-deployed pilot parachutes, then pulled the Main parachutes.
‘For Gaganyaan Crew module, the Parachute system consists of a total of 10 parachutes. In flight, the parachute sequence starts with deployment of 2 Nos. of Apex cover separation parachutes (protection cover for the Crew Module Parachute compartment) followed by 2 Nos. of Drogue parachute deployment to stabilize & bring down the velocity,’ Isro said.
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