INDIA: The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has finished a significant Gaganyaan mission development test after successfully launching India’s first privately built rocket. Gaganyaan, India’s first manned space mission, is scheduled to launch next year.
The Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (VSSC) conducted the “Integrated Main Parachute Airdrop Test (IMAT)” of the crew module deceleration system at the Babina Field Fire Range (BFFR) in the Uttar Pradesh district of Jhansi.
The test is essential because India wants to launch its first astronaut mission in next year.
ISRO used an IL-76 aircraft from the Indian Air Force to carry a 5-ton dummy mass equivalent to the crew module mass to a height of 2.5 kilometres before releasing it.
The main parachutes were pulled after two tiny, pyrotechnically-based, mortar-deployed pilot parachutes.
The crew module deceleration system underwent an “Integrated Main Parachute Airdrop Test (IMAT)” at the Babina Field Fire Range (BFFR) in the Uttar Pradeshi district of Jhansi, according to the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC). Then, two Drogue parachute deployments are carried out to stabilise and lower velocity.
The third main chute is unnecessary, according to the Indian space agency, and just two of the three are needed to land humans on the planet.
Meanwhile, elaborate testing procedures must be used to analyse the performance of each parachute, including smaller parachute tests using the Rail Track Rocket Sled (RTRS) and larger parachute tests using aircraft or helicopters.
Before the parachute system is declared qualified to be used in the first human spaceflight mission, a series of tests are planned to replicate various system failure conditions.
The test on Saturday simulated a specific scenario in which one main parachute failed to open.
With this test, the ambitious Gaganyaan programme of the country crosses a significant threshold, according to ISRO.
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) have jointly developed the parachutes-based deceleration system for the crew module.
Before Indian astronauts board Gaganyaan to travel into space, ISRO plans to fly two unmanned demonstration missions. Uncrewed tests are anticipated to take place in 2023.
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