Gaganyaan: Isro completes key first integrated drop test

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BENGALURU: After several delays, the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), early Sunday completed the first integrated air-drop test (IADT-01), a critical exercise to validate the parachute system that will bring back astronauts safely under the Gaganyaan mission, from its spaceport in Sriharikota. “Isro successfully accomplishes IADT-01 for end-to-end demonstration of parachute based deceleration system for Gaganyaan missions. This test is a joint effort of Isro, IAF, DRDO, Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard,” Isro said in a short statement.The IADT-01 was designed to evaluate the full suite of parachutes that will slow down and stabilise the crew module during re-entry and splashdown of the actual human spaceflight mission. This included two drogue parachutes for initial deceleration, followed by pilot chutes and three main parachutes to ensure safe descent.As reported by TOI earlier, after the initial pre-mission trials for IADT in May 2024, Isro had put IADT on hold because a need to revisit “some aspects” of the helicopter selected to carry out the test, arose. “…During the pre-mission trials for the first IADT in Sriharikota, it was noticed that the helicopter may have ‘some issues’ that needed to be addressed. That is progressing now,” a source had told TOI. Those issues have since been resolved and sources told TOI that once the complete analysis of the IADT test data is complete, plans for future tests will be drawn up. Isro’s initial plans were to conduct seven IADTs as per initial plans, with the final number depending on the test results. Aside from IADT tests, the space agency is also preparing for upcoming tests such as the second Test Vehicle Demonstration (TV-D2) mission and the first uncrewed Gaganyaan mission (G1), which will pave the way for India’s maiden human spaceflight.