ISRO completes drogue parachute qualification tests for Gaganyaan crew module at TBRL Chandigarh
ISRO completed qualification tests of the drogue parachutes for the Gaganyaan crew module at the Rail Track Rocket Sled facility of DRDO's Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory, Chandigarh on 18 and 19 December 2025.
Summary
ISRO completed a series of qualification tests of the drogue parachutes for the Gaganyaan crew module at the Rail Track Rocket Sled (RTRS) facility of the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL), Chandigarh on 18 and 19 December 2025, meeting all test objectives. The Gaganyaan crew module's deceleration system has 10 parachutes of four types: two apex cover separation parachutes, two drogue parachutes that stabilise and slow the module, and three pilot parachutes that pull out three main parachutes for a safe touchdown. The tests were carried out with the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre and DRDO's Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment and TBRL, as a step towards qualifying the parachute system for human spaceflight.
Key facts
- Dates
- 18 and 19 December 2025
- Facility
- Rail Track Rocket Sled, TBRL (DRDO), Chandigarh
- Parachute system
- 10 parachutes of 4 types
- Drogues
- 2; stabilise and decelerate the crew module
- Mains
- 3, extracted by 3 pilot parachutes
- Partners
- VSSC (ISRO); ADRDE and TBRL (DRDO)
Practice MCQs 2 questions
Where did ISRO conduct the drogue parachute qualification tests for the Gaganyaan crew module on 18–19 December 2025?
Show answer
Correct answer: A — Rail Track Rocket Sled facility, TBRL, Chandigarh
ISRO: the tests were held at the Rail Track Rocket Sled (RTRS) facility of the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL), Chandigarh.
Consider the following statements about the deceleration system of the Gaganyaan crew module: 1. It has a total of 10 parachutes of four types. 2. Two drogue parachutes stabilise and decelerate the module. 3. Four main parachutes are used for the final descent. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Show answer
Correct answer: B — 1 and 2 only
ISRO: the system has 10 parachutes of 4 types, including two drogues that stabilise and decelerate the module. Three pilot parachutes extract three main parachutes, not four, so statement 3 is wrong.