The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) recently conducted the test of the main parachutes of the Gaganyaan Crew Module at the Babina Field Firing Range (BFFR) in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) recently conducted an important test of the main parachutes of the Gaganyaan Crew Module.

The test was conducted at the Babina Field Firing Range (BFFR) in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, as part of a series of Integrated Main Parachute Airdrop Tests (IMAT) being carried out to qualify the parachute system for the Gaganyaan mission.

A simulated mass equivalent to the crew module was dropped from an altitude of 2.5 km using the Indian Air Force’s IL-76 aircraft. The parachute system deployed as planned and the sequence was executed flawlessly, and the test article achieved a stable descent and soft landing, confirming the robustness of the parachute design.

About Gaganyaan Parachute System

For the Gaganyaan Crew Module, the parachute system consists of a total of 10 parachutes of four types. The descent sequence begins with two apex cover separation parachutes that remove the protective cover of the parachute compartment, followed by two drogue parachutes that stabilize and decelerate the module.

The space agency said, “Upon drogue release, three pilot parachutes are deployed to extract three main parachutes, which further slow down the crew module to ensure a safe landing. The system is designed with redundancy — two of the three main parachutes are sufficient for a safe landing.”

The main parachutes of the Gaganyaan mission open in a phased process called reefed inflation.

In this process, the parachute first opens partially, called reefing, and then fully opens after a predetermined time, called dereefing. This process is carried out using a pyro device,” it further stated.

The successful completion of this test marks another significant step toward qualifying the parachute system for human spaceflight, with active participation from the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), ISRO, Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), DRDO, Indian Air Force, and Indian Army.

Gaganyaan Mission

It was officially announced in 2018. The Gaganyaan mission is India’s ongoing project to send a three-member crew on a three-day human mission to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at 400 km altitude and bring them safely back to Earth.

Under this program, the Government of India has approved two uncrewed missions and one crewed mission.

The first crewed spacecraft is expected before 2026. The success of the Gaganyaan mission will place India among the elite group of countries (the USA, Russia, and China) with human spaceflight capability.

A modified version of ISRO’s most reliable rocket, LVM3 (formerly known as Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk III), is the launch vehicle for the Gaganyaan mission.