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Why in the News?

ISRO successfully conducted the Gaganyaan-1 Crew Module air drop test off the Andhra Pradesh coast, marking another step toward India’s first human spaceflight mission.

Key Highlights

  • Test Agency: ISRO
  • Location: Bay of Bengal near Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SHAR)
  • Aircraft Used: Indian Air Force Chinook helicopter
  • Drop Height: About 3 km altitude
  • Module Weight: 5.7 tonnes (simulated crew module)
  • Recovery: Indian Navy

What is Crew Module

  • Pressurised capsule at the top of spacecraft
  • Houses astronauts
  • Designed for safe re-entry and splashdown
  • Equipped with parachute-based landing system

About Gaganyaan Mission

  • India’s first human spaceflight mission
  • Planned by ISRO
  • Mission Structure:
    • 3 Uncrewed missions
    • 1 Crewed mission
[2025] Consider the following space missions: 
1 Axiom-4 
2 SpaDeX 
3 Gaganyaan  
How many of the space missions given above encourage and support microgravity research?
(a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All the three (d) None

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