The Indian Space Research Organization successfully tested the Gaganyaan mission's crew module slowing parachute with astronauts before splashing into the ocean.
Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (VSSC) has successfully conducted a series of Drogue parachute deployment tests at the Rail Track Rocket Sled (RTRS) facility at the Terminal Ballistic Research Laboratory in Chandigarh.
The tests were carried out in collaboration with the Air Transport Research and Development Authority (ADRDE)/DRDO.
These tests are a key part of the Gaganyaan mission, which aims to safely transport Indian astronauts to space and back.
An important element of this mission is stable parachute deployment. These parachutes played a central role in stabilizing the crew module and reducing its speed to a safe level during return.
Isro said the drug parachutes, packaged in pyro-based devices known as mortars, are designed to launch parachutes into the air on command.
These tapered ribbon parachutes, measuring 5.8 meters in diameter, use a single-stage floating mechanism. This ingenious design minimizes the roof surface and reduces shocks when the doors are opened, ensuring a smooth and controlled descent.
In three comprehensive trials conducted at the RTRS facility, a variety of real-world scenarios were simulated to rigorously evaluate the performance and reliability of the drug parachute. The first test simulated maximum reef-building capabilities, marking the revolutionary introduction of reef-building capabilities in a mortar-deployed parachute in India.
