Science TechnologySaturday, 11 April 2026·https://testbook.com/current-affairs/11-april-2026-daily-current-affairs
ISRO’s Gaganyaan IADT-02 validates 10-parachute crew module recovery system
ISRO conducted the second integrated air drop test for Gaganyaan on 10 April 2026 at Sriharikota.
Key highlights
Direct fact
In April 2026, ISRO carried out the second Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-02) for the Gaganyaan mission at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, using an IAF Chinook helicopter to drop a simulated Crew Module from 3 km altitude.
Key specifics
- The simulated Crew Module weighed about 5.7 tonnes, matching the G1 uncrewed mission module.
- A total of 10 parachutes of 4 different types were deployed in sequence.
- The test validated parachute-based deceleration systems for safe landing.
- Gaganyaan is India’s first human spaceflight mission and aims for a 400 km Low Earth Orbit (LEO) for a 3-day mission.
- The mission is planned to use the LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark-3) rocket.
Exam lens
Science & technology MCQ focus: mission name, test number, altitude, parachute count, launch site. TNPSC may ask which agency conducted IADT-02 and what hardware was validated for Gaganyaan.