ISRO’s Milestone: ISRO has conducted a succession of successful tests on drogue parachutes, which will play a crucial role in stabilising the crew module and reducing its velocity during re-entry during the planned Gaganyaan human space flight mission. The Gaganyaan mission intends to transport astronauts to and from space securely. Drogue parachutes are utilised to slow down and stabilise fast-moving objects.
ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram successfully conducted a series of Drogue Parachute Deployment Tests on 8-10 August at the Rail Track Rocket Sled (RTRS) facility of the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory in Chandigarh, according to a statement released by the national space agency on Friday.
The experiments were conducted in collaboration with Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE)/Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The pyrotechnic devices known as mortars contain drogue parachutes that are ingeniously designed to be released into the air upon command.
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ISRO’s Milestone: Successful Parachute Deployment Tests for Gaganyaan Mission
ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) explained that these conical ribbon-type parachutes with a diameter of 5.8 metres employ a single-stage reefing mechanism, ingeniously minimising canopy area and mitigating opening stress to ensure a smooth and controlled descent. During the three exhaustive tests conducted at the RTRS facility, a variety of real-world scenarios were simulated in order to rigorously assess the performance and dependability of the drogue parachutes.
The first test simulated the maximum reefed load, signifying the inception of reefing in an Indian mortar-deployed parachute.
The second test simulated the maximum dis-reefed burden, while the third test demonstrated the deployment of the drogue parachute under conditions simulating the crew module’s maximum angle of attack during its mission.
“These successful RTRS tests serve as a critical qualification milestone for the drogue parachutes, confirming their readiness for integration into the upcoming Test Vehicle-D1 mission,” according to the statement.
Notably, RTRS tests of the Pilot and Apex cover separation parachutes were conducted earlier this year, further highlighting the progress of the Gaganyaan mission’s parachute system development. The complex parachute sequence for the deceleration system of the Gaganyaan crew module consists of a total of 10 parachutes.
The sequence begins with the deployment of two apex cover separation parachutes, followed by the deployment of two drogue parachutes for stabilisation.
Upon release of the drogue parachutes, the mission transitions into the extraction phase, in which three pilot chutes extract three main parachutes individually. This is a crucial stage in reducing the Crew Module’s speed to safe levels for a secure landing, according to the statement.
