DRDO conducts successful qualification test for Gaganyaan Drogue Parachute
New Delhi, February 19
India's human spaceflight programme achieved a key milestone with the successful qualification level load test of Drogue Parachute for Gaganyaan programme at Rail Track Rocket Sledge facility of Defence Research and Development Organisation at Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory in Chandigarh.
According to the Ministry of Defence release, RTRS is a specialised dynamic test facility being used extensively for high-speed aerodynamic and ballistic evaluations.
The test was conducted on February 18 2026, with Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), ISRO, Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), DRDO, alongside various TBRL's dedicated teams.
The RTRS dynamic test, simulating qualification level loads which are higher than the maximum flight loads, shows the additional design safety margin of the parachute.
The test proves India's expertise in designing and manufacturing high-strength ribbon parachutes, a release added.
The achievement once again highlights TBRL's immense contributions by providing advanced test facilities, instrumentation and technical expertise for space and defence programmes.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh complimented DRDO, ISRO and Industry on the successful qualification test for Gaganyaan Drogue Parachute and said that the test is another big step in furthering the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Further, the Secretary Department of Defence Research and Development and Chairman DRDO have congratulated the teams associated with the successful qualification level load test of Drogue Parachute for the Gaganyaan programme.
— ANI
Reader Comments
So proud of our scientists and engineers! The detail about testing at loads higher than maximum flight loads shows the commitment to safety. Our Gaganyaan astronauts will be in safe hands. Well done TBRL and VSSC teams!
Atmanirbhar Bharat in action! Developing critical technology like high-strength ribbon parachutes indigenously is a huge achievement. Saves foreign exchange and builds our expertise. More power to DRDO and ISRO.
As an aerospace student following this closely, this is a significant engineering milestone. The RTRS facility sounds fascinating. Hope they release more technical papers for the academic community to learn from.
Great work, but I hope the timeline is realistic. We've seen delays before. The focus should be on perfection, not rushing to meet political deadlines. Safety of our astronauts is paramount.
Chandigarh's TBRL making us proud! 🎉 It's amazing how these defence research labs are contributing to our space dreams. The spin-off technologies from such projects will benefit many other sectors too.
Impressive progress. The parachute system is critical for crew module recovery. Testing beyond required limits shows robust design philosophy. Looking forward to the historic day of the launch.
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