April 10, 2026

The second Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-02) for Gaganyaan mission was successfully conducted at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota on April 10, 2026. In this test, a simulated Crew Module, weighing about 5.7 tonnes, that is equivalent to the mass of the Crew Module in the first uncrewed Gaganyaan mission (G1), was lifted by an Indian Air Force Chinook helicopter to an altitude of about 3km and released over a designated drop zone in sea, near to Sriharikota coast.

Ten 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 Indian Navy. The IADT-02 test validated the parachute-based deceleration systems in the Crew Module.

This test marks another significant step towards the readiness for the Gaganyaan G1 Mission, with active support and participation from the Indian Air Force, Indian Navy, and Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO).