In news–Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully demonstrated a new technology with Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (IAD).
What is Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (IAD)?
- Designed and developed by ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), IAD is a game-changer with multiple applications for future missions including to Mars and Venus.
- As its name suggests, the IAD serves to decelerate an object plunging down through the atmosphere.
- It is a technique used for an atmospheric entry payload. An inflatable envelope and an inflatant (anything that inflates the envelope, like air or helium) make up the inflatable aerodynamic decelerator.
- While entering the atmosphere, it inflates like a balloon and decelerates the lander.
- The recently IAD was successfully test flown in a ‘Rohini’ sounding rocket (RH300 Mk II )from Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station.
- Rohini sounding rockets are routinely used for flight demonstration of new technologies being developed by ISRO as well as by scientists from India and abroad.
- The pneumatic system used for inflating the IAD was developed by the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), Valiyamala.
- 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.
- This is the first instance where an IAD has been specially created for spent stage recovery.
- According to ISRO, this demonstration opens a gateway for cost-effective spent stage recovery using the IAD technology and this technology can also be used in ISRO’s future missions to Venus and Mars.
Source: AIR
