Between August 8 and 10, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) tested the Gaganyaan mission’s drogue parachute deployment at the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory’s Rail Track Rocket Sled (RTRS) facility in Chandigarh.
The tests were carried out in cooperation with the Defence Research and Development Organization’s (DRDO) Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE).
The drogue parachutes are housed inside mortars, which are pyrotechnic devices that, when activated, shoot the parachutes into the air. During re-entry, these parachutes are essential for stabilizing the crew module and lowering its velocity to a safe level. The goal of the Gaganyaan mission is to carry humans into and out of space comfortably.
According to ISRO, these 5.8-meter-diameter conical ribbon-type parachutes employ a single-stage reefing mechanism to reduce canopy area and opening shock, guaranteeing a controlled and smooth descent.
Real-world situations were replicated during the three tests at the RTRS facility to assess the drogue parachutes’ dependability and performance. Reefing in a mortar-deployed parachute was first introduced in India with the first test, which simulated the maximum reefed load.
The Gaganyaan crew module uses a series of ten parachutes as part of its deceleration system. Two apex cover separation parachutes are deployed first in the sequence, and then two drogue parachutes are deployed for stabilization. The mission moves into the extraction phase following the release of the drogue parachutes, where three pilotThree primary parachutes are extracted by chutes separately, bringing the crew module’s speed down to a safe level for a safe landing.These tests represent a major turning point in the parachute system development for the Gaganyaan mission. The RTRS tests of pilot and apex cover separation parachutes were among the earlier tests.
The employment of domestic drogue parachutes demonstrates India’s expanding space technology capabilities.
