A new variant of drogue parachutes that would enable the crew module of Gaganyaan, India’s planned manned space flight to descend safely to Earth, has been developed and tested by the Indian Space Research Organisation (IRSO) and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). This is among the series of parachutes that would be deployed by the module on re-entry.
The components have been designed and fabricated jointly by ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) and DRDO’s Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE). Validation tests were carried out at the Rail Track Rocket Sled (RTRS) facility of the DRDO, Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL), near Chandigarh recently.
“Gaganyaan Drogue parachutes jointly developed by VSSC and ADRDE were successfully tested at RTRS facility, TBRL, Chandigarh. The test involved simultaneous firing of two drogue parachutes to simulate deployment at maximum angle of attack of crew module during descent,” DRDO posted on its official X handle on Monday. DRDO also posted a video of the tests on social media.
Earlier, ISRO had developed and tested a single drogue parachute in which the aforementioned laboratories were involved. Based in Thiruvananthapuram, VSSC is the lead centre for the design and development of launch vehicle technology, while ADRDE’s mandate includes systems for dropping heavy loads, brake parachutes, towed targets, aircraft arrester barriers and aerostats.
TBRL is responsible for the ballistic evaluation and design validation of warheads and high-speed projectiles. The 4-km long RTRS that simulates supersonic flight environment on ground by moving rocket propelled platforms on rail tracks at a speed of up to 3,600 kmph, is designed to evaluate the design and ballistic parameters of aerospace components, including warheads and nose cones of missiles, simulate missile interception, analyse the performance of munitions and test structural integrity.
The Gaganyaan mission entails the safe transportation of astronauts to space and back. A crucial component of this mission is the deployment of drogue parachutes, which play a pivotal role in stabilising the crew module and reducing its velocity to a safe level during re-entry.
According to ISRO, drogue parachutes, packed within pyro-based devices known as mortars, are designed to eject the parachutes into the air upon command. These conical ribbon-type parachutes, with a diameter of 5.8 meters, employ a single-stage reefing mechanism, minimizing canopy area and mitigating opening shock, ensuring a smooth and controlled descent.
During the tests conducted at TBRL, a range of real-world scenarios expected to be experienced by the module were simulated to rigorously evaluate the performance and reliability of the drogue parachutes.
The intricate parachute sequence for the Gaganyaan crew module’s deceleration system encompasses a total of 10 parachutes. The sequence commences with the deployment of two Apex cover separation parachutes, followed by the stabilisation achieved through the deployment of two drogue parachutes.
Upon release of the drogue parachutes, the mission transitions into the extraction phase, with three pilot chutes individually extracting three main parachutes, a pivotal step in reducing the crew module’s speed to safe levels for a secure landing.
