ISRO Successfully Completes Gaganyaan IADT-02: A Major Leap for India’s Manned Space Mission

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has achieved another milestone in its Gaganyaan space mission by successfully conducting the second Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-02). This is a landmark achievement as it marks a significant step forward in India's ambitious human space mission programme. 

This test was carried out on 8 April 2026 from the Satish Dhawan Space Station in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The test was conducted to validate the parachutes deployed for decelerating the crew module for splashdown recovery in the Bay of Bengal.

What is the Purpose of the Mission?

India's maiden crewed space mission, Gaganyaan, intends to take three astronauts into low-Earth orbit at an altitude of 400 km for three days. The mission in space shall be performed through the use of the human-rated Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (HLVM3), which shall have a Crew Escape System (CES). 

The main systems involved in this mission would be the Crew Module (CM) that is used for habitat and life support as well as thermal protection during re-entry. The other main system would be the Service Module (SM), which acts as the main propulsion unit.

This mission will require a budget of about Rs 10,000 crore.

Test Execution

• During the IADT-02 test mission, a simulated CM massing at 4.8 tonnes was ejected from an Indian Air Force Chinook helicopter to simulate descent at higher altitudes. 

• The drogue, main, and apex cover chutes were deployed to achieve optimal splashdown. Recovery after the splashdown was executed effectively by the Navy and Coast Guard.

• After the successful execution of the IADT-01 test in August 2025, improvements in parachute clustering and aerodynamics were taken into account for this test. 

• Recovery after splashdown was carried out in a flawless manner by the respective Navy and Coast Guard units.

After conducting IADT-01 successfully in August 2025, this exercise focused on better grouping of the parachutes and the aerodynamic loads on the structure. 

All the parameters were successfully fulfilled, with sufficient data showing the possibility of a safe landing of the CM into the sea.

This is a step forward towards future missions of G1, G2, and G3 planned in 2026 and ending with the manned mission in Q1 2027. 

This coordination effort between ISRO, DRDO, IAF, Navy, and Coast Guard ensures a synergistic relationship among the respective organizations.

As per the Chairman of ISRO, V. Narayanan, the mission has been 90 percent completed, with astronauts including Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla undergoing rigorous training at high altitude in Ladakh.