ISRO tests system to recover spent rocket stages

Source: The post is based on the article “ISRO tests system to recover spent rocket stages” published in The Hindu on 4th September 2022.

What is the News?

Indian Space Research Organization(ISRO) has successfully demonstrated the new technology with Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (IAD). 

This could aid the cost-effective recovery of spent rocket stages and safely land payloads on other planets.

What is an Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator(IAD)? 

Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator or IAD is a technique used to decelerate an object plunging down through the atmosphere.

What is ISRO’s IAD?

The ISRO’s Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator(IAD) was designed and developed by Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre(VSSC) on a Rohini-300 (RH300 Mk II) sounding rocket.

​​IAD was initially folded and kept inside the payload bay of the rocket. At around 84 km altitude, the IAD was inflated and it descended through the atmosphere with the payload part of the sounding rocket.

IAD has systematically reduced the velocity of the payload through aerodynamic drag and followed the predicted trajectory.

Note: This is the first instance where an IAD has been specially created for spent stage recovery.

Where does ISRO intend to use IAD?

The IAD will help ISRO in performing many space tasks effectively including recovery of spent stages of rockets, for landing payloads on missions to other planetary bodies.