Space ISRO Successfully Conducts Second Air Drop Test for Gaganyaan (IADT-02) Context: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) completed the second Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-02). Location: Test carried out at Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The system is essential to ensure safe recovery of the crew module — the capsule in which astronauts sit during a human flight. After the module’s release, a parachute system, comprising 10 parachutes, was deployed, helping the capsule decelerate to a safe splashdown speed. This test marks another significant step towards the readiness for the Gaganyaan G1 Mission, with active support and participation from the Indian Air Force, Indian Navy, and Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO). Successfully recovered with support from the Indian Navy. First Test (IADT-01): Successfully conducted on August 24, 2025 at Sriharikota. Execution Method A simulated Crew Module was lifted to ~3 km altitude. Deployment was done using an Indian Air Force Chinook helicopter. Gaganyaan Gaganyaan Mission is India’s maiden human spaceflight initiative, designed to send three astronauts into Low Earth Orbit (about 400 km altitude) for a duration of three days, and ensure their safe return to Earth. The program will proceed in stages, beginning with uncrewed test flights to validate systems, followed by the first crewed mission, which is currently targeted for early 2027. Successful completion of Gaganyaan will make India one of the few nations alongside the United States, Russia, and China to achieve independent human spaceflight capability. The astronauts selected for the mission include: Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, Ajit Krishnan, Angad Pratap, Shubhanshu Shukla. Current Facts 'THIRAN' Scheme The 'THIRAN' (Targeted Help for Improving Remediation and Academic Nurturing) educational enhancement scheme was implemented in July 2025 with the objective of identifying slow learners among students studying in Grades 6 through 9 in Tamil Nadu government schools, providing them with…
