ISRO Conducts Successful Drogue Parachute Deployment Tests For Gaganyaan Mission

The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) successfully carried out a series of drogue parachute deployment tests in collaboration with the Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said on Friday (11 August).

These tests took place at the Rail Track Rocket Sled (RTRS) facility of the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory in Chandigarh between Tuesday and Thursday (8-10 August).

While the Thiruvananthapuram-based VSSC is the lead centre for Gaganyaan activities, the ADRDE is a research and development laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

An obviously crucial aspect of the Gaganyaan mission is the safe transportation of astronauts to and from space. The deployment of drogue parachutes plays a pivotal role in this regard.

ISRO explains that these parachutes are responsible for stabilising the crew module and reducing its velocity to a safe level during re-entry.

The drogue parachutes to be used in the Gaganyaan mission are packed within pyro-based devices called mortars. These mortars are equipped to eject the parachutes into the air upon command.

"These conical ribbon-type parachutes, boasting a diameter of 5.8 meters, employ a single-stage reefing mechanism, ingeniously minimizing canopy area and mitigating opening shock, ensuring a smooth and controlled descent," the Indian space agency said in its update on the tests.

At the RTRS facility, three comprehensive tests were conducted to evaluate the performance and reliability of the drogue parachutes. These tests simulated various real-world scenarios.

The first test introduced reefing in a mortar-deployed parachute, "marking a groundbreaking" achievement in India. It simulated the maximum reefed load.

The second test emulated the maximum disreefed load, while the third test showcased the deployment of the drogue parachute under conditions mirroring the maximum angle of attack experienced by the crew module during the mission.

The successful RTRS tests validate the readiness of the drogue parachutes for integration into the upcoming Test Vehicle-D1 mission, ISRO said.

These tests are an important qualification milestone, demonstrating the progress made in the development of the Gaganyaan mission's parachute system.

Earlier this year, the RTRS tests of the pilot and apex cover separation parachutes were also conducted.

Both the pilot and ACS parachutes have a key role to play in the Gaganyaan mission.

The pilot parachutes will spring into action when the main parachutes have to be extracted and deployed independently. The ACS parachutes will be used for the separation of the apex cover mounted on the crew module.

Explaining the deceleration system of the Gaganyaan crew module, ISRO said it involves a complex parachute sequence consisting of 10 parachutes.

The sequence begins with the deployment of two apex cover separation parachutes, followed by the stabilisation achieved through the deployment of two drogue parachutes.

After the drogue parachutes are released, the mission enters the extraction phase, where three pilot chutes individually extract three main parachutes.

This crucial step helps reduce the speed of the crew module to safe levels, ensuring a secure landing.

Gaganyaan aims to showcase India's human spaceflight capability.

The plan involves launching a crew of three members into a 400 km orbit for a three-day mission and safely bringing them back to Earth by landing in the Indian sea waters.

India will look to achieve success with its Gaganyaan mission before shifting its focus later towards developing capability for sustained human presence in space.