The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has completed tests of three critical systems for the Gaganyaan crew module, advancing preparations for India’s first human spaceflight mission.
According to ISRO, the tests focused on validating a sea-based uprighting system and the crew module ventilation system. Together, these systems are designed to improve astronaut safety and support crew recovery after splashdown at sea.
The upright position mechanism ensures that the crew module automatically returns to an upright position after landing in water. To support this capability, ISRO developed and tested a sea-based uprighting system capable of generating sufficient force to reorient the capsule if required.
The crew module ventilation system was validated to maintain safe airflow inside the capsule, providing fresh-air circulation while removing carbon dioxide, humidity, and heat during the mission. ISRO also tested a parachute protection system, designed to safeguard the parachutes and associated subsystems during ascent, ensuring their readiness for deployment during re-entry.
The successful trials are part of ISRO’s broader efforts to qualify critical technologies for the Gaganyaan mission, which aims to send Indian astronauts into low Earth orbit aboard an indigenous spacecraft. The mission will be launched using the LVM3 rocket, while recovery operations will involve the Indian Navy.
With multiple subsystem tests now completed, ISRO continues to strengthen the technological foundation for India’s first crewed spaceflight, bringing the Gaganyaan mission another step closer to launch.
