Gaganyaan mission: Isro completes first air-drop test, critical to bring back astronauts

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully completed its first Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-01), a significant milestone in India’s ambitious Gaganyaan Mission.

According to ISRO, the successful demonstration was a collaborative effort involving numerous defence and research institutions, including the Indian Air Force, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Indian Navy, and Indian Coast Guard.

In a post on X, ISRO wrote, “ISRO successfully accomplishes first Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-01) for end-to-end demonstration of parachute-based deceleration system for Gaganyaan missions. This test is a joint effort of ISRO, Indian Air Force, DRDO, Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard.”

ISRO successfully accomplishes first Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-01) for end to end demonstration of parachute based deceleration system for Gaganyaan missions. This test is a joint effort of ISRO, Indian Air Force, DRDO,Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard pic.twitter.com/FGaAa1Ql6o

— ISRO (@isro) August 24, 2025

Earlier, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh on Wednesday said that development and ground testing of the Human Rated Launch Vehicle (HLVM3) of India’s first human spaceflight programme Gaganyaan have already been completed.

“Orbital Module: The Propulsion systems for Crew Module and Service Module have been developed and tested. ECLSS engineering model realised. Crew Escape System (CES): 5 types of motors developed and static tested. Infrastructure established: Orbital Module Preparation Facility, Gaganyaan Control Centre, Gaganyaan Control facility, Crew training facility, Second Launch pad modifications,” Singh said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

“Precursor Missions: A Test Vehicle developed for validating CES and flight tested in TV-D1. Activities are in progress for TV-D2 and IADT-01. Flight Operations and Communication Network: Ground network configuration finalised. IDRSS-1 feeder stations and terrestrial links established. Crew Recovery Operations: Recovery assets finalised. Recovery Plan worked out. First Uncrewed Mission (G1): C32-G stage and CES motors realised. HS200 Motors and CES Fore end up to Crew Module Jettisoning Motor stacked. Crew Module and Service module structure realised. Crew Module Phase-1 checks completed,” he added.

The human spaceflight program aims to fulfil the ambitions of an established spacefaring nation. The technological and manufacturing capabilities required to achieve the aim of ‘Viksit Bharat’ will be dependent on a radical shift in the national research and development landscape.

He stated that after demonstrating the basic capabilities for human space operations through the Gaganyaan Programme, the next logical step is to begin development work for a human habitat or a space station in low Earth orbit to enable extended human space trips. In this regard, the Indian Human Space Programme’s long-term objective is for the Bharatiya Antariksha Station (BAS) to be operational by 2035 and an Indian Moon landing by 2040.

Highlighting the development of India’s own space station, Singh said that plans for establishing five modules of the Bharatiya Antariksha Station (BAS) by 2035, towards which approval for the development of the 1st module of BAS has been obtained.

As per the vision envisaged by the Government of India to land an Indian on the moon by 2040, the mission aspects, configuration of the launch vehicle and orbital module systems have been taken up. Training modules, including incremental training for the ongoing Gaganyaan programme and the proposed landing of an Indian on the Moon, are in line with the requirements of mission timelines, the MoS added.