ISRO clears key Gaganyaan parachute test

CHENNAI: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully completed the first ground test of the solid motor designed for the Gaganyaan programme, marking a key milestone in validating the parachute-based deceleration system for India’s first human spaceflight mission.

The test was conducted at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, to validate critical systems of the Gaganyaan crew module during sub-orbital test missions.

According to ISRO scientists, the specially designed solid motor will carry the crew module to an altitude of 10 km to 17 km, after which the module will separate and descend safely using a sequence of 10 parachutes before splashdown in the sea. Scientists said all performance parameters of the motor were as expected, confirming the success of the test.

The Gaganyaan mission aims to demonstrate India’s capability to send a three-member crew into a 400-km low-Earth orbit for a three-day mission before safely recovering them in Indian waters.

As part of the mission roadmap, ISRO plans to launch the Vyommitra humanoid aboard an uncrewed mission in December, followed by two more uncrewed flights before the country’s first crewed mission, currently targeted for March 2027.

ISRO said it has completed more than 8,000 tests for the Gaganyaan programme so far, and about 85% of the overall testing programme has been completed.