If weather permits, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), in collaboration with the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Navy, will conduct a critical Gaganyaan Human Spaceflight mission test in the Bay of Bengal near Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, on Sunday, August 24, 2025, WION has learnt.
The Test – Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT)
- An IAF Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopter will carry a 4,000–4,500 kg Gaganyaan crew module mock-up as an underslung load.
- At an altitude of 4 km, the capsule will be air-dropped into the sea.
- As it falls, the capsule is expected to deploy a series of parachutes, gradually slowing down before making a safe splashdown landing.
This test simulates the crucial final stage of astronaut return from space, validating the capsule’s parachute-based deceleration and splashdown recovery system.
Post-Splashdown Recovery
- Once the capsule lands, Indian Navy ships positioned in the Bay of Bengal will deploy smaller boats to inspect it.
- Using a shipborne crane, the capsule will be hoisted onto the deck.
- INS Anvesh, a specialised vessel, is expected to play a key role in the operation.
Multi-Agency Coordination
- The operation will be monitored from air and sea by ISRO, IAF, and Navy assets.
- Parachutes for the test have been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
- The mission highlights the multi-agency synergy required for Gaganyaan, India’s first human spaceflight programme.
Background
- Rehearsals for the IADT have been ongoing this month.
- The test was postponed several times due to unfavourable weather caused by a storm along the North Andhra Pradesh–South Odisha coast.
If successful, the trial will mark a major milestone for India’s human spaceflight ambitions, bringing the country a step closer to safely sending astronauts to space and back.
