Pratidin
Science and technology22 September 2026The Hindu, Page 8

How Gaganyaan's crew module will deploy its parachutes

Coming home safely is the hardest part of human spaceflight.

Published 22 September 2026. Written by Pratidin from the reports linked at the end; every fact checked by a separate review before publishing. How we work

An explainer in The Hindu describes how the Gaganyaan crew module will slow down after re-entry. Atmospheric drag does most of the early braking, but by the lower atmosphere the module is still descending at about 170 metres per second; opening a full-size parachute at that speed would shred the canopy or subject the crew to dangerous forces, so deceleration is done in stages after the module has slowed to subsonic speeds.

Space Shuttle Atlantis after undocking from the International Space Station.
Space Shuttle Atlantis after undocking from the International Space Station. NASA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

According to ISRO, the system has 10 parachutes of four types. Two apex cover separation parachutes first remove the protective cover of the parachute compartment. Two drogue parachutes, fired out by mortars, then stabilise and slow the module. After the drogues are released, three pilot parachutes pull out three main parachutes, which open in stages ('reefed inflation') and bring the module to a safe splashdown at sea. The design is redundant: two of the three main parachutes are enough for a safe landing.

The parachutes are being developed with DRDO's Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), Agra. On 7 July 2026, ISRO completed the fifth Integrated Main Parachute Airdrop Test (IMAT-05) at Sheopur, Madhya Pradesh, dropping a main parachute with a dummy mass from 2.5 km from an IAF IL-76 to qualify it for the first uncrewed mission, G1.

Practise this in the app: flashcards, quiz and a timed answer
Prelims

Prelims facts

  • Gaganyaan is India's programme to send a three-member crew to low Earth orbit for up to three days and return them safely.
  • The crew module's descent uses 10 parachutes of four types: apex cover separation, drogue, pilot and main parachutes, ending in a splashdown at sea.
  • Two of the three main parachutes are enough for a safe landing, giving the system redundancy.

Quick recall

How many parachutes does the Gaganyaan crew module use?
10 parachutes of four types.
What do the apex cover separation parachutes do?
Remove the protective cover of the parachute compartment.
What do the drogue parachutes do?
Stabilise and slow the module; there are two, fired out by mortars.
What do the pilot parachutes do?
Pull out the three main parachutes.
How many main parachutes are needed for a safe landing?
Two of the three.
Where does the crew module land?
It splashes down at sea.
Which DRDO lab develops Gaganyaan's parachutes?
The Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), Agra.
What was IMAT-05?
The fifth Integrated Main Parachute Airdrop Test, on 7 July 2026 at Sheopur, dropping a main parachute from 2.5 km.

Prelims practice question

Gaganyaan's crew module is designed to return to Earth by:

  1. Landing on a runway like a spaceplane
  2. Splashing down at sea under parachutes
  3. Propulsive landing on a pad
  4. Landing on land with airbags only
Show answer

Answer: (b) Splashing down at sea under parachutes. The crew module decelerates using parachutes and splashes down at sea for recovery.

Use this in UPSC Mains: previous-year questions

Recurring theme: India's human spaceflight ambitions and space programme

  1. 2019 · GS3 · 10 marksCovers one partUse it in the conclusion

    What is India's plan to have its own space station and how will it benefit our space programme?

    How to use this

    Lets you present Gaganyaan's crew safety and recovery systems as the groundwork for India's planned space station.

    • Gaganyaan aims to send a three-member crew to low Earth orbit for up to three days and return them safely, making India the fourth country to do so independently.
    • Note that Gaganyaan builds capabilities for India's planned space station and future missions.
    • Staged parachute descent, sea recovery by the Navy and a human-rated LVM3 are core human-spaceflight capabilities being proven through Gaganyaan.
  2. 2017 · GS3 · 10 marksAnswers it directlyUse it in the body

    India has achieved remarkable successes in unmanned space missions including the Chandrayaan and Mars Orbiter Mission, but has not ventured into manned space mission, both in terms of technology and logistics? Explain critically.

    How to use this

    Shows the specific technological and logistical hurdles of human spaceflight and how ISRO is now clearing them.

    • In the lower atmosphere the crew module still falls at about 170 m/s, so deceleration uses 10 parachutes of four types in stages; two of three main parachutes suffice.
    • ISRO completed IMAT-05 on 7 July 2026 at Sheopur, dropping a main parachute from 2.5 km from an IAF IL-76 to qualify it for the uncrewed G1 mission.
    • Other challenges include a crew escape system, life support, heat shields, a human-rated LVM3 and Navy recovery at sea; parachutes are being developed with DRDO's ADRDE, Agra.
  3. 2016 · GS3 · 12.5 marksCovers one partUse it in the example

    Discuss India's achievements in the field of Space Science and Technology. How the application of this technology has helped India in its socio-economic development?

    How to use this

    Adds human spaceflight progress to a list of India's space achievements; it offers little on socio-economic applications.

    • Gaganyaan will send a three-member crew to low Earth orbit for up to three days, making India the fourth country to do so independently.
    • ISRO's fifth Integrated Main Parachute Airdrop Test (IMAT-05) on 7 July 2026 qualified the main parachute for the first uncrewed mission, G1.
    • The programme uses ISRO-DRDO collaboration (ADRDE, Agra) and uncrewed test flights, including one with a humanoid robot, before crewed flight.

Mains practice question

Discuss the technological challenges of human spaceflight and how the Gaganyaan programme addresses them. (150 words)

Model answer

Gaganyaan aims to send Indian astronauts to low Earth orbit and bring them back safely, making India the fourth country to do so independently.

Key challenges

  • Crew safety at launch: a crew escape system tested through Test Vehicle flights.
  • Life support: oxygen, temperature and pressure control in the crew module.
  • Re-entry: heat shields to survive very high temperatures.
  • Descent and recovery: a staged parachute system slows the module from high speed to a safe splashdown, with redundancy so the mission survives a parachute failure; the Navy recovers the crew at sea.
  • Human-rating: a human-rated LVM3 rocket.

ISRO's approach

  • Uncrewed test flights, including a humanoid robot, before crew.
  • Integrated air drop tests for parachutes.
  • Astronaut training in India and abroad.

Gaganyaan builds capabilities for India's planned space station and future missions.

The basics

Why this matters

Gaganyaan is India's programme to send astronauts to space and bring them back safely. The return is the most dangerous part. Its parachute system, tested repeatedly, must slow the crew module enough for a safe splashdown at sea.

10
Parachutes in the Gaganyaan crew module's descent system
Of four types, deployed in a set order.

Why parachutes open in stages

Air resistance slows the module first, but it is still falling fast in the lower atmosphere. A large parachute opened too early would tear, so smaller ones slow it first.

Descent sequence
  1. 1Apex cover separationTwo parachutes remove the compartment cover.
  2. 2DroguesTwo parachutes stabilise and slow the module.
  3. 3Pilot parachutesThree pull out the main parachutes.
  4. 4Main parachutesThree open in stages (reefing).
  5. 5SplashdownThe module lands at sea.

Built-in redundancy

Two of the three main parachutes are enough for a safe landing, so one can fail.

Three main parachutes where two are enough
is like
A car with a spare tyre
The spare lets you finish the journey even if one tyre fails.

How we got here

Testing has moved step by step towards the first uncrewed flight.

Gaganyaan milestones
  1. 2018Gaganyaan announced
  2. Oct 2023Test Vehicle mission tests crew escape
  3. 2025Integrated air drop tests
  4. 7 Jul 2026IMAT-05 main parachute test
  5. NextUncrewed G1 mission

The wider programme

Parachutes are one of several safety systems. The Crew escape system protects astronauts during launch, the Human-rated LVM3 carries the module, and Gaganyaan is a step towards the Bharatiya Antariksh Station.

You now know

  • The crew module uses 10 parachutes of four types.
  • Order: apex cover separation, drogue, pilot, main, then splashdown at sea.
  • Two of three main parachutes are enough for a safe landing.
  • Parachutes are developed with DRDO's ADRDE, Agra; IMAT-05 was on 7 July 2026.

Go deeper

In one line: Gaganyaan's crew module slows down with 10 parachutes deployed in a set sequence, with enough redundancy to land safely if one main parachute fails.

Why it matters for UPSC

GS3 asks about India's space programme. Gaganyaan is India's flagship human spaceflight mission, and its safety systems are commonly tested.

The core idea

Coming home is the hardest part of human spaceflight. Air resistance does most of the early braking, but the module is still moving fast in the lower atmosphere. Opening a big parachute at that speed would tear it apart, so the system works in stages: small parachutes first, then larger ones, each slowing the module enough for the next. The drogue parachute steadies the capsule; the main parachutes open partly first, which is called reefing, and then fully. Two of the three mains are enough, which is why the design is called redundant.

Numbers and dates to remember

  • 10 parachutes of four types.
  • About 170 m/s: speed in the lower atmosphere before deployment.
  • 7 July 2026: IMAT-05 test from 2.5 km.

Where to go next

In one line: Human-rating a spacecraft means proving every system is safe with margins, and parachutes are among the most tested.

Why staging matters physically

Drag force rises with the square of speed. Opening a large canopy at high speed creates an 'opening shock' that can destroy it or injure the crew. Drogues bring speed down so the mains can open safely.

Reefing

The main parachutes first open partially, held by a reefing line, then fully after a set time. This spreads the load over time.

Testing

Drop tests from aircraft and helicopters check structural margins, including worst cases like delayed disreefing.

The rest of the safety chain

Where it leads

Gaganyaan builds the skills for the Bharatiya Antariksh Station.

Where to go next

Gaganyaan

India's human spaceflight programme

In one line: Gaganyaan is India's human spaceflight programme to send a crew of up to three to low Earth orbit and return them safely.

Plan

Uncrewed test flights first, including one carrying the humanoid robot Vyommitra, then a crewed mission.

Key parts

The crew module, service module, a human-rated launch vehicle and a crew escape system.

Significance

India would join the US, Russia and China in independently launching humans to space.

Where to go next

Crew escape system

Safety during launch

In one line: The crew escape system pulls the crew module away from the rocket if something goes wrong during launch.

How it works

Fast-acting solid motors fire to carry the module clear, after which parachutes bring it down.

Testing

ISRO's Test Vehicle mission (TV-D1) in October 2023 successfully demonstrated an abort and recovery at sea.

Why it matters

Launch is one of the most dangerous phases, so an escape system is essential for human-rating.

Where to go next

Human-rated LVM3

The rocket for Gaganyaan

In one line: The human-rated LVM3 (HLVM3) is a version of ISRO's heaviest rocket modified to carry astronauts.

Changes

Higher safety margins, redundant systems and health monitoring that can trigger crew escape.

The base rocket

LVM3 (earlier GSLV Mk III) launched Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3.

Role

It will launch Gaganyaan's crew module to low Earth orbit.

Where to go next

Bharatiya Antariksh Station

What comes after Gaganyaan

In one line: The Bharatiya Antariksh Station is India's planned space station.

Plan

The first module is targeted for 2028, with the full station by 2035.

Purpose

Long-duration human missions, microgravity research and building towards a crewed lunar landing by 2040.

Link to Gaganyaan

Gaganyaan develops the crew transport and life-support skills the station will need.

Where to go next

Take the 22 September 2026 quiz: 30 Prelims-style questions with answers

Syllabus

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