What is the air drop test conducted by ISRO? , Pg8

Key Highlights:

• ISRO successfully conducted the Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-1) on August 24, a key milestone for the Gaganyaan mission.
• A 4.8-tonne dummy crew capsule was dropped from a helicopter to test the parachute system's ability to ensure safe splashdown.
• The test simulated the final descent stages of a space mission, aiming for a capsule speed of 8 m/s before splashdown.
• The Indian Air Force, DRDO, Indian Navy, and Coast Guard collaborated with ISRO on the test.

Detailed Insights:

• IADT-1 assessed the parachute-based deceleration system crucial for safely bringing the Gaganyaan crew module down after re-entry.
• The test involved a precise sequence of parachute deployments after the capsule's release from a height of about 3 km.
• The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre was responsible for approximately 90% of the IADT-1 activities.
• Gaganyaan's objective is to send Indian astronauts to low-earth orbit using a human-rated LVM3 rocket.
• Prior to human spaceflight, ISRO must conduct multiple tests to validate safety systems, including Crew Escape System tests.
• The uncrewed Gaganyaan-1 (G1) mission will launch a crew module with 'Vyommitra', a humanoid robot, to orbit.
• India aims to establish the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) by 2035 and achieve a crewed lunar landing by 2040.
• ISRO's SpaDeX mission successfully demonstrated in-orbit docking in May 2025, a technology important for future missions.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Gaganyaan: India's human spaceflight mission to send astronauts to low-earth orbit.
• LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark-3): ISRO’s heaviest 3-stage rocket, capable of launching 4–4.5 tonnes to GTO and 8 tonnes to LEO; used in Chandrayaan-3, Gaganyaan.
• Crew Escape System: A safety mechanism to pull astronauts away from the rocket in case of launch failure.