IAF Chinook to Lift Gaganyaan Simulated 4.8-tonne Crew Module for ISRO’s Critical Integrated Air Drop Test IADT-02
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ISRO has issued a new NOTAM (A0936/26) for the second Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-02), replacing the previous alert (A0396/26). The test is scheduled to take place between March 21 and April 04, 2026, within a daily window of 06:00 to 10:30 IST. This mission follows the successful IADT-01 conducted in August 2025 and serves as a critical milestone for certifying the Gaganyaan recovery sequence.
NOTAM: A0936/26The technical objective of IADT-02 is the end-to-end validation of the parachute-based deceleration system in a real-world environment. A simulated 4.8-tonne Crew Module (CM) will be airlifted to an altitude of approximately 3 km by an Indian Air Force Chinook helicopter before being released over the Bay of Bengal. The deployment sequence involves ten parachutes: two Apex Cover Separation (ACS) parachutes to jettison the protective cover, followed by two Drogue parachutes (Ø5.8 m) for stabilization. The final descent is managed by three Pilot parachutes (Ø3.4 m) that extract the three Main parachutes (Ø25 m), reducing the module's terminal velocity to a safe 8 m/s for splashdown.
Crew module being lifted by an IAF Chinook to 3 km for release. Image Credit: IADT-01/ISRO
Crew module descending under main parachutes. Image Credit: IADT-01/ISRO
Following the splashdown, the Indian Navy will lead the recovery operations. Specialized naval vessels and dive teams will be deployed to secure the module and retrieve the onboard Solid State Data Recorder (SSDR), which contains high-resolution telemetry from the descent. This collaboration between ISRO and the Indian Navy is essential for finalizing the Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) required for the upcoming uncrewed G1 mission and future human spaceflight.
