Gaganyaan is India’s human spaceflight programme, led by ISRO, designed to launch a crewed spacecraft into low Earth orbit (approx. 400 km altitude) for about three days and bring astronauts safely back to Earth.
The mission includes a series of uncrewed test flights—Gaganyaan-1, -2, and -3—before attempting the first crewed mission (Gaganyaan-4) around Q1 2027.
KEY TEST: INTEGRATED AIR-DROP TEST (IADT-01)
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- On 24 August 2025, ISRO successfully conducted the first Integrated Air-Drop Test (IADT-01). During this test, a 4.8-tonne dummy crew capsule was dropped from a Chinook helicopter at approximately 3 km altitude.
- The test validated the capsule’s entire parachute-based deceleration sequence using four types of parachutes:
- Apex Cover Separation (2 × 2.5 m)
- Drogue (2 × 5.8 m)
- Pilot (3 × 3.4 m)
- Main parachutes (3 × 25 m)
These deployed in sequence to ensure safe splashdown and recovery.
- The performance met expectations: the apex and drogue parachutes decelerated the capsule sequentially, and the main parachutes reduced its terminal splashdown speed to a safe level (about 8 m/s).
- The test was a collaborative effort among ISRO, DRDO, Indian Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard.
WHY IS IADT-01 IMPORTANT?
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Safety Validation | Demonstrated the end-to-end functionality of the parachute-based capsule deceleration system. |
| Mission Reliability | Validated a critical system that ensures the crew module stabilizes and lands safely during re-entry or abort scenarios. |
| Readiness Milestone | A major milestone in preparation for the uncrewed Gaganyaan-1 mission planned for December 2025. |
| Recovery Capability | Confirmed safe splashdown and recovery procedures involving naval support. |
WHAT’S NEXT IN THE MISSION TIMELINE?
1. Additional Abort and Safety Tests
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- Following the successful Test Vehicle Abort Mission-1 (TV-D1)in October 2023—which validated the crew escape system during ascent—ISRO is preparing for TV-D2 later in 2025.
2. Uncrewed Flight Test Gaganyaan-1 (G1)
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- Planned for December 2025, it will carry humanoid robot Vyommitraaboard a human-rated LVM3 (HLVM3) into low Earth orbit.
3. Further Uncrewed Missions (G2 & G3)
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- Scheduled for 2026 to test life-support systems, environmental control, and recovery operations.
4. Crewed Mission (Gaganyaan-4)
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- Expected by Q1 2027, this mission will carry astronauts into orbit for a 7-day mission before safely returning them to Earth.
CONCLUSION
The Integrated Air-Drop Test (IADT-01) completed on August 24, 2025, successfully validated the parachute-based deceleration and splashdown system of the Gaganyaan crew module—an essential safeguard for astronaut safety. Moving forward, ISRO is set to conduct additional abort tests, follow up with uncrewed test missions culminating in the landmark human spaceflight by 2027.
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