ISRO is preparing to carry out a significant test as part of its upcoming Gaganyaan crewed spaceflight mission. The space agency aims to check the parachute recovery system of the crew module through an air drop test in the coming days.
Sources familiar with the plan say ISRO will conduct an Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT), where a Chinook helicopter will release the crew module from around 4-5km altitude. The test is slated within the next two to three days and will simulate a nominal splashdown scenario with both parachutes deploying properly.
This will be the first in a series of such air drop tests to evaluate the parachute performance under various off-nominal situations. Some test cases will include one parachute failing to open, both malfunctioning or experiencing delays in deploying.
After splashdown, another helicopter will locate the crew module in water. The Indian Navy will then recover it and transport the module back to shore near Chennai for examination. Analyzing parachute-assisted splashdown is important given the crew module turned upside down during the maiden test vehicle mission last year.
The upcoming IADT only involves the crew chamber. However, for crewed flights, it will be mated to a service module containing propulsion and other life support systems. ISRO aims to conduct additional test vehicle flights prior to embarking on unmanned and manned orbital demonstrations of Gaganyaan.
Officials say more such tests may be required to thoroughly verify all systems before risking an astronaut crew. The findings will play a key role in shaping ISRO's human spaceflight program in the coming years.
