Gaganyaan Astronauts To Rely On Parachute Made By Ordnance Unit

India’s maiden human space mission, Gaganyaan, will be using indigenously manufactured parachutes to bring the crew safely back to Earth. The parachutes are being manufactured by the Ordnance Equipment Factory, Hazratpur, and a dozen sets of the parachutes have already been handed over to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The Gaganyaan project aims to demonstrate India’s indigenous human spaceflight capability, with a 3-member crew being launched into an orbit of 400 km for a 3-day mission. The parachutes play a crucial role in the deceleration system of the Gaganyaan crew module, ensuring a safe landing for the astronauts.

Parachute System For Gaganyaan

The Gaganyaan deceleration system consists of three main parachutes, as well as smaller ACS, pilot, and drogue parachutes, which work together to reduce the speed of the crew module to safe levels during landing. Two of the three main chutes are sufficient to land the astronauts on Earth, while the third serves as a redundant backup. The parachutes are crucial for safely transporting the crew back to Earth after completing their mission in space. The manufacturing of these critical landing parachutes is nearing completion at the Ordnance Equipment Factory in Hazratpur, Firozabad, marking a significant step forward in India’s first indigenous human spaceflight program.

Collaboration And Testing

The design and development of the parachutes for the Gaganyaan mission are a result of collaboration between the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and ISRO. The Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), an Agra-based laboratory under DRDO, has developed the parachutes for the Gaganyaan program. Fitment tests for the parachutes are set to be conducted at an ISRO facility in Bengaluru. Additionally, the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre has conducted major developmental tests of the crew module deceleration system, including the parachute system, at the Babina Field Fire Range in the Jhansi district of Uttar Pradesh.

Gaganyaan mission will rely on parachutes manufactured by the Ordnance Equipment Factory, Hazratpur, for the safe return of the crew module and astronauts to Earth. These parachutes are an integral part of the deceleration system and play a crucial role in ensuring a safe landing for the crew. The development and testing of the parachutes involve collaboration between ISRO and DRDO.

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