ISRO clears 2nd air drop test for Gaganyaan mission
What's the story
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully completed a key test as part of its Gaganyaan mission preparations. The achievement was announced by Union Minister Jitendra Singh, who congratulated ISRO on the successful execution of the Second Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-02). "This marks an important milestone toward the readiness for the Gaganyaan mission," Singh said in his post.
Test details
What is IADT-02?
The IADT-02, a follow-up to the first test conducted on August 24, 2025, was delayed like many other aspects of the Gaganyaan mission. The test likely involved a simulated crew module weighing some five tons and maintaining an external configuration similar to flight. This module was dropped from a height to validate the parachute system that will eventually bring astronauts back safely during the actual Gaganyaan mission.
Previous test
Recap of the 1st IADT
The first IADT was conducted from a height of 3.1km by an Indian Air Force (IAF) Chinook helicopter. The joint effort involved ISRO, IAF, DRDO, Indian Navy, and Indian Coast Guard. The drop was carried out over the Bay of Bengal and took about an hour from take-off to recovery with the final parachute deployment sequence being completed in just 2-3 minutes.
Upcoming tests
Timeline for Gaganyaan mission
Initially, ISRO had planned to conduct seven IADTs for the Gaganyaan mission. However, this number may change and fewer tests could be conducted, according to The Times of India. The exact parameters of the latest test remain undisclosed by ISRO as of now. Despite Singh's announcement about the Gaganyaan mission taking place next year, it is unlikely that this timeline will be met due to ongoing delays in key technology validations needed for human spaceflight.
Twitter Post
Union Minister congratulates ISRO for successful completion
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.
— Dr Jitendra Singh (@DrJitendraSingh) April 10, 2026
The second Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-02) was successfully conducted at Satish Dhawan Space Station…
Mission details
India's first human spaceflight program
ISRO describes Gaganyaan as India's first human spaceflight program. It aims to demonstrate the country's indigenous capability to send a three-member crew into a 400km orbit for a three-day mission and bring them back safely to Earth. The mission will use the human-rated LVM3 (HLVM3) launch vehicle. A parachute-based deceleration system is critical during the final descent phase, ensuring a safe splashdown by reducing the Crew Module's velocity.