The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has taken a significant stride towards its inaugural human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, by successfully conducting critical tests of the parachute systems designed to bring astronauts safely back to Earth. The tests, carried out on December 18 and 19, 2025, focused on validating the performance of drogue parachutes under extreme conditions.
High-Speed Parachute Validation on Rails
In a dramatic on-ground simulation, ISRO tested the drogue parachutes using a sled hurtling down a rail track at a staggering speed of 600 kilometres per hour. The experiments were performed at the Rail Track Rocket Sled (RTRS) facility of the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL) in Chandigarh. According to the space agency, the tests witnessed the successful "reefed opening" of the parachutes, a crucial step in ensuring a smooth and jerk-free descent for the crew.
Reefing is a controlled, step-by-step process where the parachute's initial opening is limited to avoid sudden, dangerous deceleration forces on the crew module. Pyrotechnic devices are later activated to allow the parachute to open fully—a stage known as disreefing. The drogue parachutes are the second type in a sequence of four parachute systems that will be deployed during the Gaganyaan capsule's return.
The Gaganyaan Parachute Sequence
The safety of the astronauts hinges on a meticulously timed sequence of ten parachutes. The process begins with two small Apex Cover Separation Parachutes (2.5 metres) that jettison the protective cover shielding the other parachutes from re-entry heat.
Following this, the two drogue parachutes (5.8 metres) tested recently are deployed at high altitude. Their primary role is to stabilise the rapidly falling crew module and initiate the first major phase of deceleration. Once the drogues have slowed the module sufficiently, three pilot chutes (3.4 metres) are released. Each pilot chute then pulls out one of the three massive main parachutes (25 metres), which finally slow the module to a gentle speed for a safe splashdown in the sea. ISRO had previously tested the entire parachute system under normal conditions in August 2025.
ISRO Gears Up for a Record-Breaking Satellite Launch
Even as the Gaganyaan preparations advance, ISRO is poised for another landmark mission. On December 24, 2025, the agency will launch its heaviest-ever satellite from Indian soil. The mission will utilise ISRO's most powerful rocket, the LVM-3, to carry the BlueBird block-2 satellite, weighing approximately 6,100 kilograms, to Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
This launch will surpass the previous record set by the LVM-3 when it carried 36 OneWeb satellites with a combined weight of 5,800 kg. The BlueBird satellite is part of a global LEO constellation being developed by the US-based company AST & Science. The constellation aims to provide satellite-based broadband directly to cell phones, enabling 4G and 5G connectivity for voice, video, data, and streaming services globally.
This mission marks the third dedicated commercial flight for the LVM-3 vehicle, following its two successful OneWeb launches. It also comes less than two months after ISRO launched its heaviest satellite (4,400 kg) to the distant Geosynchronous Orbit, showcasing the vehicle's versatility in delivering payloads to both LEO (~400 km altitude) and GEO (~35,000 km altitude).
These parallel achievements underscore ISRO's accelerating pace in both its pioneering human spaceflight programme and its growing prowess in the competitive global commercial satellite launch market.
