ISRO Successfully Conducts Critical Parachute Test for Gaganyaan Human Spaceflight Mission

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) conducted a critical parachute test on November 3 for its Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission. Using an IL-76 aircraft, a 7.2-tonne capsule simulator was dropped from 2.5 km to test the crew module’s parachute system, which includes 10 chutes for stabilization, deceleration, and protection. The test simulated a challenging scenario with only two main parachutes deployed and asymmetric loads applied. ISRO reported successful deployment, stable descent, and soft landing, validating the system’s robustness. The milestone advances preparations for upcoming uncrewed test flights carrying Vyomitra, a half-humanoid data-gathering robot.