Latest news with #AerialDeliveryResearchandDevelopmentEstablishment
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Isro: Indigenously developed parachutes for Gaganyaan mission sent to Isro from Agra
Agra: A set of parachutes developed for the first uncrewed mission of the Gaganyaan programme by the Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), an Agra-based laboratory under the (DRDO), was sent to the Indian Space Research Organisation's ( ) satellite integration and testing facility in Bengaluru on Monday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now ADRDE said the parachutes will be used for the "safe return of the capsule that will carry astronauts under the proposed Gaganyaan programme." The parachute system comprises 10 parachutes designed for sequential deployment, said the lab. During flight, the sequence begins with two "apex cover separation parachutes", the protective cover for the crew module's parachute compartment. This is followed by deployment of two "drogue parachutes" to stabilise the module and reduce its speed. After the drogue chutes are released, three "pilot parachutes" will each extract one of the three "main parachutes," which will further slow down the crew module for a safe landing, ADRDE said. Each component of the system has cleared sub-level testing. The ADRDE team will assemble the parachutes with the crew module at Isro's testing facility in Bengaluru. Isro chairman V Narayanan announced on Tuesday that the launch of India's first human space flight, aimed at sending a three-member crew to low-Earth orbit (400 km) for a three-day mission, has been pushed to the first quarter of 2027. The first uncrewed mission under the project is expected to launch later this year and a half-humanoid robot, Vyommitra, will be sent as part of the uncrewed flight, he added. (With agency inputs)
Time of India
04-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
DRDO conducts maiden flight trials of Stratospheric Airship Platform in MP
Bhopal: The Defence Research and Development Organisation ( ) has successfully conducted the maiden flight trials of its Stratospheric Airship Platform from the Sheopur Trial Site in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Developed by the Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) in Agra, the airship was launched with an instrumental payload, reaching an altitude of approximately 17 kilometers. Data from onboard sensors were received during the flight and will be used to develop high-fidelity simulation models for future high-altitude airship operations. The flight also tested the performance of envelope pressure control and emergency deflation systems, which were deployed as part of the trial. Following the flight, the system was recovered for further analysis. The flight lasted about 62 minutes, agencies report. Congratulating DRDO on the successful trial, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh stated, "This system will significantly enhance India's Earth observation , Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, positioning India among the few nations globally with such indigenous high-altitude platforms." Dr Samir V Kamat, Secretary of the Department of Defence R&D and Chairman of DRDO, also congratulated the team for their efforts. He highlighted that the successful prototype flight is a critical step towards realizing lighter-than-air high-altitude platform systems capable of remaining airborne for extended durations at stratospheric heights.
The Print
04-05-2025
- Science
- The Print
DRDO eyes persistent high-altitude surveillance edge as Stratospheric Airship soars in maiden trial
'The flight lasted around 62 minutes, during which data was collected by onboard sensors,' the defence ministry said in a statement. It added that the airship was safely recovered after testing critical systems, including envelope pressure control and emergency deflation mechanisms. Developed by the Agra-based Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), the unmanned airship ascended to an altitude of approximately 17 kilometres, carrying an instrumented payload. New Delhi: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Saturday conducted the maiden flight trial of its Stratospheric Airship Platform from the Sheopur test facility in Madhya Pradesh. A stratospheric airship functions as a high-altitude pseudo-satellite (HAPS), designed to operate between 17 and 22 kilometres above the Earth for extended periods. It uses helium for lift and is typically powered by solar energy, with onboard batteries enabling night-time operation. Unlike satellites or aircraft, such platforms can loiter over a fixed area for days or even weeks, offering persistent surveillance and communications support. Their capacity to carry imaging sensors, radar systems or telecommunications payloads makes them valuable for border monitoring, disaster response and wide-area intelligence missions. They also fill a critical gap between drones and satellites, delivering the reach of space-based systems while offering faster deployment, lower costs and greater operational flexibility. DRDO Chairman Samir V. Kamat hailed the flight as a significant achievement, describing it as a step towards developing long-endurance, lighter-than-air systems capable of operating in the stratosphere. 'This system will enhance India's earth observation and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, positioning the country among the few globally with such indigenous capabilities,' said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Sources indicated that only a small number of countries have succeeded in developing similar high-altitude platforms, given the considerable technological and operational challenges involved. (Edited by Radifah Kabir) Also Read: India to get HawkEye 360 tech from the US. Here's how it spots 'dark vessels'
NDTV
04-05-2025
- Science
- NDTV
India Conducts Maiden Flight-Trials Of Stratospheric Airship Platform
New Delhi: India on Saturday successfully carried out maiden flight-trials of a stratospheric airship platform which is being developed to boost the military's surveillance capabilities. Very few countries in the world have developed such a complex platform, officials said. The flight trial was carried out by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) at Sheopur in Madhya Pradesh. DRDO Chairman Samir V Kamat said the prototype flight is a "milestone" towards realisation of lighter-than-air high-altitude platform systems that can remain airborne for very long endurance at stratospheric heights. The airship platform was launched with an instrumental payload to an altitude of around 17 kms, according to the defence ministry. The successful flight trials of the platform came amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan over the Pahalgam terror attack. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the DRDO for the successful maiden flight-trial of the system. This system will uniquely enhance India's earth observation and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, making the country one of the few countries in the world having such indigenous capabilities, he said. "The DRDO successfully carried out maiden flight-trials of stratospheric airship platform from Sheopur trial site in Madhya Pradesh on May 3," the defence ministry said. Developed by Agra-based Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment, the airship was launched carrying an instrumental payload to an altitude of around 17 kms, it said. "Data from onboard sensors was received and would be utilised for development of high-quality fidelity simulation models for future high-altitude airship flights," the ministry said in a statement. "Envelop pressure control and emergency deflation systems were deployed in flight for their performance evaluation. Trial team recovered the system for further investigation. The total duration of the flight was about 62 minutes," it said.
Hans India
04-05-2025
- Science
- Hans India
DRDO Successfully Tests Maiden Flight Of Stratospheric Airship Platform
India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) achieved a significant milestone on May 3 with the successful completion of the first flight trial of its indigenous Stratospheric Airship Platform. The test was conducted at the Sheopur trial site in Madhya Pradesh, with the development led by the Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) based in Agra. During the 62-minute test flight, the lighter-than-air airship carried an instrumental payload and reached an impressive altitude of approximately 17 kilometers. Engineers successfully tested critical in-flight systems, including envelope pressure control and emergency deflation mechanisms, while collecting valuable data from onboard sensors. This data will be instrumental in developing high-fidelity simulation models for future high-altitude airship missions. Following the flight, the system was recovered for further examination and analysis, marking an important step forward in India's aerospace capabilities. "This lighter than air system will enhance India's earth observation and Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance capabilities, making the country one of the few countries in the world having such indigenous capabilities," DRDO announced in a statement shared on social media platform X. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the DRDO team on this achievement, highlighting how the system positions India among a select group of nations with indigenous stratospheric platform technology. The successful test represents a significant advancement for India's defense and surveillance capabilities. Dr. Samir V. Kamat, Secretary of the Department of Defence R&D and Chairman of DRDO, described the prototype flight as a milestone in developing lighter-than-air, high-altitude platforms capable of sustaining long endurance operations at stratospheric heights.
