by When you purchase through links in our articles, Future and its syndication partners may receive a commission.
Photo credit: ISRO
India last week took another step towards its first-ever manned spaceflight, successfully testing the parachute system for its Gaganyaan astronaut capsule.
The test took place on November 3 using an Indian Air Force IL-76 aircraft and a capsule mass simulator that tipped the scales at 7.2 tons (6.5 tons).
The aircraft took off from Babina Field Firing Range in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. It dropped the dummy capsule at an altitude of 1.6 miles (2.5 kilometers), forcing the Gaganyaan Parachutes in action.
The Indian Space Research Organization will conduct a drop test of the parachute system for its Gaganyaan astronaut capsule on November 3, 2025. | Photo credit: ISRO
According to the Indian Space Research Organization, there are ten of these parachutes on the Gaganyaan capsule (ISRO) – two who remove the protective cover of the parachute compartment, two “drogues” who stabilize and slow the descent of the vehicle, and three “pilots” who pull out the three main chutes that do the lion’s share of the deceleration work.
The deployment of the mainnet occurs in a gradual process that ends with “disrefing” – the full opening of a partially inflated (or “reefed”) parachute. And there is redundancy built into the system; Only two of the three main lines need to be extended to safely lower the capsule.
The Nov. 3 test ran on two networks—and it exposed them to an off-par situation.
“The test evaluated the structural integrity and load distribution of the system under asymmetrical disreef conditions – one of the most critical load scenarios expected during the actual mission descent,” ISRO officials said in a Description of the drop test.
View of the November 3rd test from the dummy capsule. | Photo credit: ISRO
According to ISRO, the parachutes handled everything well.
“The parachute system deployed as planned and the sequence was executed flawlessly, and the test subject achieved a stable descent and soft landing, confirming the robustness of the parachute design,” agency officials said. “The successful completion of this test is another important step towards the suitability of the parachute system for manned space flight.”
However, there are still major steps that need to be taken before the first Gaganyaan astronaut flight can take off low earth orbit. For example, ISRO is currently planning to launch three unmanned test missions with the capsule, which carries a data-collecting semi-humanoid robot called ” Vyomitra (Sanskrit for “space friend”).
If all goes well with these flights, astronauts could fly aboard the Gaganyaan crew module first quarter of 2027said ISRO officials.
