The science of Gaganyaan parachutes | Explained
This article explains the complex engineering behind the parachute systems required for the Gaganyaan crew module's return to Earth. It details the multi-stage deployment process involving pilot, drogue, and main chutes necessary to ensure a safe landing.
Why it matters
Understanding these deceleration systems is vital for the success and safety of crewed space missions, particularly for India's upcoming Gaganyaan program.
Any spacecraft entering the earth’s atmosphere will rely primarily on atmospheric drag to reduce a significant portion of its velocity as it aerobrakes.
Towards the terminal phase, to gently touchdown on land or in sea, additional decelerating systems like parachutes have to be activated to further reduce its velocity to acceptable limits.
The parachute used for crewed space vehicles demands extraordinary engineering with multi-staging, redundancy, high-performance materials and high-pressure packing for reducing the storage space.
Generally, the parachute system contains three types of chutes: pilot, drogue, and main. The pilot chute is a mini-parachute deployed to pull out larger diameter drogue or main chutes. The drogue chute is deployed early in the descent to stabilise the module and first reduce the velocity. The main chute has a wider canopy and is used in the final phase to reduce the velocity enough to achieve gentle soft-landing conditions.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in