Union Minister Jitendra Singh has congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for the successful completion of the second Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-02) for the Gaganyaan mission, marking a significant milestone ahead of India's first human spaceflight planned for next year.
In a message posted on X, Singh stated, “Congratulations #ISRO for the successful accomplishment of Second Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-02) for #Gaganyaan, India’s first Human Space flight scheduled next year.” He added that the test was conducted at the Satish Dhawan Space Station in Sriharikota and represents an important advancement towards the mission’s readiness.
The IADT-02 follows the initial test, IADT-01, which was carried out on August 24, 2025, at the same space centre. That earlier test demonstrated the complete functioning of the parachute-based deceleration system designed for the Gaganyaan Crew Module.
ISRO has described Gaganyaan as India’s first human spaceflight programme, intending to showcase indigenous capabilities by sending a three-member crew into a 400-kilometre orbit for a three-day mission with a safe return to Earth. The endeavour will use the human-rated LVM3 launch vehicle.
The parachute-based deceleration system is vital during the final descent phase, ensuring the Crew Module lands safely in the sea by slowing its velocity to acceptable levels. This system includes several parachutes deployed sequentially: Apex Cover Separation parachutes, Drogue parachutes, Pilot parachutes, and Main parachutes.
In the initial test, a simulated Crew Module weighing about 4.8 tonnes was dropped from roughly 3 kilometres altitude using the Indian Air Force’s Chinook helicopter. The test successfully validated the deployment sequence and performance of the parachutes, reducing the module’s touchdown speed to approximately 8 metres per second.
The test also simulated an abort scenario on the launch pad, with onboard avionics activating the deployment sequence and recording critical parameters for analysis. After splashdown, naval teams recovered the module.
The Gaganyaan programme involves collaboration among multiple organisations, including the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Indian Air Force, Indian Navy, and Coast Guard. The planned series of tests aims to further verify system performance under different conditions.