ISRO successfully tests Gaganyaan crew module's main parachute

New Delhi: 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 Tuesday.

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"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 G1 mission," ISRO said in a statement on Wednesday.

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.

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"This is the 5th 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 (G1)," said ISRO.

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.