Gaganyaan: Isro completes critical IADT-02 test — what it means for India’s human spaceflight mission

BENGALURU: After back-to-back launch failures of PSLV and a quiet few months, the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) Friday successfully completed the second Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-02), a critical test as part of preparations for Gaganyaan missions.“IADT-02 for Gaganyaan mission was successfully conducted at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota on April 10… A simulated crew module, weighing about 5.7 tonnes, that is equivalent to the mass of the crew module planned in the first uncrewed Gaganyaan mission (G1), was lifted by an Indian Air Force (IAF) Chinook helicopter to an altitude of about 3km and released over a designated drop zone in sea, near to Sriharikota coast,” Isro said.The IADT-02, a follow-up test of the IADT-01 conducted nearly eight months ago on Aug 24, 2025, was expected to be conducted much earlier. But as with most aspects relating to the Gaganyaan mission, Isro has faced delays. Compared to IADT-01’s 5 tonnes, Friday’s test saw an increased mass of the crew module (5.7 tonne). “This was important because we wanted to bring the module’s mass close to what would be used in the uncrewed missions. All parametres of the test were on expected lines, and we will now focus on other tests that need to be done,” VSSC director A Rajarajan told TOI.During the test, Isro said, 10 parachutes of four types were deployed in a precise sequence during the descent of the crew module, gradually reducing the velocity for safe touchdown. “Subsequently, the simulated crew module was successfully recovered in coordination with the Indian Navy. The IADT-02 test validated the parachute-based deceleration systems in the crew module,” Isro added.In line with the plan, the drop took place over the Bay of Bengal and lasted about 45 minutes from take-off to recovery, a senior Isro official said. “The final parachute deployment sequence, however, was completed in just 2-3 minutes,” the official added.This marks another step towards the readiness for the Gaganyaan G1 mission, with active support and participation from the IAF, Indian Navy, and Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO).Earlier in the day, union minister Jitendra Singh had posted: “Congratulations Isro for the successful accomplishment of IADT-02 for Gaganyaan, India’s first human Space flight scheduled next year. This marks an important milestone towards the readiness for the Gaganyaan mission.”During IADT-01, the simulated crew module was dropped from an altitude of 3.1km using an Indian Air Force (IAF) Chinook helicopter. While Singh, in his post has announced that the Gaganyaan mission would happen next year, the timeline looks ambitious given that Isro has been struggling with delays. There are several key technologies that need to be validated before India can send humans to space.