Gaganyaan Mission: Drogue Parachute Tested by VSSC/ISRO Successfully

NEW DELHI: In a significant stride toward the success of the Gaganyaan mission, the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC)/ISRO has triumphantly conducted a series of Drogue Parachute Deployment Tests. Collaborating with the Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE)/DRDO, the tests took place at the Rail Track Rocket Sled (RTRS) facility of the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory in Chandigarh from August 8 to 10. These tests hold immense importance for the mission's objective of securely ferrying astronauts to and from space.

The heart of the Gaganyaan mission lies in ensuring the safe transportation of astronauts, a task that involves intricate engineering and meticulous testing. A key element of this endeavor is the deployment of drogue parachutes. These parachutes play a critical role in stabilizing the crew module and managing its velocity during re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere. The ISRO press statement emphasized the ingenious design of these drogue parachutes, which are packed within pyro-based mortars. Upon command, these mortars eject the parachutes into the air, initiating their deployment. The conical ribbon-type parachutes, boasting an impressive diameter of 5.8 meters, incorporate a single-stage reefing mechanism that minimizes canopy area and ensures a controlled descent.

The recent tests at the RTRS facility simulated a range of real-world scenarios to comprehensively assess the performance and reliability of these drogue parachutes. The groundbreaking aspect was the successful introduction of reefing in a mortar-deployed parachute within India, particularly evident in the first test that simulated the maximum reefed load. The subsequent tests replicated the maximum disreefed load and the deployment of drogue parachutes under conditions mirroring the crew module's maximum angle of attack during its mission.

These achievements have propelled the drogue parachutes closer to integration into the upcoming Test Vehicle-D1 mission. It's noteworthy that earlier in the year, the RTRS facility had conducted successful tests for Pilot and Apex cover separation parachutes, showcasing the impressive progress of the Gaganyaan mission's parachute system development.

The parachute sequence intricacies for the Gaganyaan crew module's deceleration system encompass a total of 10 parachutes. This sequence starts with two Apex cover separation parachutes, followed by stabilization through two drogue parachutes. The mission then transitions into the extraction phase, where three Pilot chutes individually extract three main parachutes, a pivotal step that significantly reduces the Crew Module's speed for a secure landing.

In conclusion, the successful drogue parachute tests conducted by VSSC/ISRO mark a significant advancement in India's pursuit of safe and successful human spaceflight through the Gaganyaan mission. These achievements underscore the dedication, precision, and expertise that drive the nation's ambitious space endeavors.

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