Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully carried out the second Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-02) for its Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission.
The test took place off the coast of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. A test capsule similar in weight and shape to the actual Gaganyaan crew module was dropped from a height of 3 to 4 kilometres into the Bay of Bengal.
The main goal was to check the full parachute system. This includes the sequence of deployment for apex cover separation parachutes, drogue parachutes, pilot parachutes, and main parachutes. The system slowed the capsule to a safe speed for splashdown in the sea.
Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh congratulated ISRO on the success. He said the test marks an important milestone towards readiness for Gaganyaan, India’s first human spaceflight scheduled for next year.
The test involved close coordination between ISRO, the Indian Air Force, DRDO, Indian Navy, and Indian Coast Guard. The Indian Air Force provided a Chinook helicopter to lift and release the test module. After splashdown, teams recovered the capsule from the sea.
This was the second such test. The first one, IADT-01, took place on August 24, 2025, at the same location. ISRO plans a total of eight Integrated Air Drop Tests to fully qualify the parachute-based deceleration system under different conditions.
The Gaganyaan mission aims to send three Indian astronauts into low Earth orbit for a three-day trip and bring them back safely. Safe recovery of the crew module after re-entry is one of the most critical parts of the mission. The parachute system must reduce the module’s speed from very high values to less than 10 metres per second at touchdown.
Gaganyaan is India’s first crewed space mission. It will use the GSLV Mk III rocket to launch the crew module. The project has completed several other tests, including abort system trials and parachute qualification tests on the ground.
ISRO continues to carry out more development tests this year. The agency works towards full readiness for the uncrewed and crewed flights as part of building independent human spaceflight capability for the country.
