BENGALURU: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) recently completed the main parachute test for the Gaganyaan mission- the crewed mission as a part of the qualification process.
The test was conducted on November 3 at the Babina Field Firing Range (BFFR) in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, which is a part of the ongoing series of Integrated Main Parachute Airdrop Tests (IMAT).
The main parachutes are deployed in a step-by-step process where the parachute will open partially, which is called reefing, and then will fully open after a predetermined period, known as disreefing. This process is carried out using a pyro device.
The uniqueness in the test was one of the possible extreme scenarios of delay in the disengagement between the two main parachutes. “The test evaluated the system’s structural integrity and load distribution under asymmetric disreceiving conditions—one of the most critical load scenarios expected during actual mission descent,” ISRO said.
For the test, a simulated mass equivalent to the crew module was dropped from an altitude of 2.5 km using the Indian Air Force’s IL-76 aircraft. “The test article achieved a stable descent and soft landing, validating the robustness of the parachute design,” ISRO noted.