ISRO Achieves Milestone with Second Successful Air Drop Test for Gaganyaan Mission
Successful trial at Sriharikota validates critical recovery mechanisms for India’s first human spaceflight mission
NEW DELHI, Apr 10: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully carried out the second Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-02) for the ambitious Gaganyaan mission at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh.
The test marks a significant step in ensuring the safe recovery of the crew module the capsule designed to carry astronauts during India’s first human spaceflight mission. The system plays a crucial role during re-entry and landing, validating the reliability of parachute deployment and splashdown procedures.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh lauded ISRO for the achievement, calling it a major milestone ahead of the mission scheduled for next year. He highlighted the importance of the test in strengthening mission readiness and astronaut safety.
The IADT-02 follows the successful completion of the first air drop test conducted in August 2025 at the same facility. These trials simulate the final phase of a spacecraft’s return to Earth by dropping a test module from a designated altitude using aircraft or helicopters.
Such tests are designed to assess multiple emergency and operational scenarios, including parachute deployment during mission abort situations, performance in case of parachute failure, and the stability of the module during descent and splashdown.
During the earlier test, a dummy crew module weighing nearly 4.8 tonnes was released from a height of three kilometres using a Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopter. The module’s descent was controlled by a complex parachute system comprising multiple canopies, ensuring a safe landing velocity.
With the successful execution of the second test, ISRO moves a step closer to realising its goal of sending Indian astronauts into space under the Gaganyaan programme.
