DRDO Qualifies Gaganyaan Drogue Parachute

23 Feb 2026 CW Team

The trial on 18 February 2026 brought together teams from the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) of DRDO and TBRL technical staff. Engineers assessed the performance of high strength ribbon parachute designs under dynamic conditions to validate strength, deployment characteristics and resilience under qualification stresses. The outcome underlined the ability to design and manufacture parachutes meeting stringent safety requirements for crewed missions.

DRDO officials credited TBRL for providing advanced test facilities, instrumentation and technical expertise that supported the validation effort, emphasising the laboratory's contributions to space and defence programmes. The Ministry of Defence described the test as a key step towards enabling a reliable recovery system for the crew module and as advancing broader goals of self-reliance in critical technologies. Senior leaders from the Department of Defence R and D acknowledged the collaborative effort across agencies and industry partners that enabled the test.

The successful qualification level load test is expected to inform subsequent design refinements and certification activities for the Gaganyaan mission and to strengthen domestic capabilities in parachute systems. Teams will integrate lessons from instrumentation and data analysis into further tests and manufacturing processes for flight hardware. The development is presented as reinforcing the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat in high technology sectors.

India's human spaceflight programme has reached a significant milestone after the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted a successful qualification level load test of the drogue parachute for the Gaganyaan programme at the Rail Track Rocket Sled (RTRS) facility of the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL) in Chandigarh. The RTRS is a specialised dynamic test facility used for high speed aerodynamic and ballistic evaluations. The qualification level load test simulated loads higher than maximum flight loads to demonstrate additional design safety margins. The trial on 18 February 2026 brought together teams from the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) of DRDO and TBRL technical staff. Engineers assessed the performance of high strength ribbon parachute designs under dynamic conditions to validate strength, deployment characteristics and resilience under qualification stresses. The outcome underlined the ability to design and manufacture parachutes meeting stringent safety requirements for crewed missions. DRDO officials credited TBRL for providing advanced test facilities, instrumentation and technical expertise that supported the validation effort, emphasising the laboratory's contributions to space and defence programmes. The Ministry of Defence described the test as a key step towards enabling a reliable recovery system for the crew module and as advancing broader goals of self-reliance in critical technologies. Senior leaders from the Department of Defence R and D acknowledged the collaborative effort across agencies and industry partners that enabled the test. The successful qualification level load test is expected to inform subsequent design refinements and certification activities for the Gaganyaan mission and to strengthen domestic capabilities in parachute systems. Teams will integrate lessons from instrumentation and data analysis into further tests and manufacturing processes for flight hardware. The development is presented as reinforcing the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat in high technology sectors.

Infrastructure Urban

04 May 2026

Jyoti Structures FY26 profit rises 56.5%

Jyoti Structures (JSL) recently reported strong financial results for the quarter and year ended 31 March 2026, driven by disciplined execution, cost management and steady progress across its order book.For Q4 FY2025-26, total income rose 44.2 per cent to Rs 2.41 billion from Rs 1.67 billion in Q4 FY2024-25. EBITDA increased 58.6 per cent to Rs 237 million, while EBITDA margin improved by 89 basis points to 9.84 per cent. Profit before tax grew 53.3 per cent to Rs 188.5 million, and net profit rose 51.9 per cent to Rs 181.4 million.For FY2025-26, total income grew 53.1 per cent to Rs 7.72 bill..

Infrastructure Energy

04 May 2026

Cat BEPU to Power Doppstadt Separator at IFAT 2026

Caterpillar’s Cat Battery Electric Power Unit (BEPU) has been selected by Doppstadt to power its SWS 6 Spiral Shaft Separator, which will be showcased for the first time at IFAT 2026 in Munich, Germany, from 4–7 May.The compact plug-and-play BEPU is designed to replace a diesel engine within the same space, using the same mounting locations and relative machine position. It integrates the battery, motor, inverter, onboard charging, cooling and controls, enabling OEMs to electrify existing chassis platforms without extensive redesign.Caterpillar and Cat dealer Zeppelin Power Systems have be..

Infrastructure Urban

04 May 2026

VECV sales rise 6.9% in April 2026

VE Commercial Vehicles, a joint venture between Volvo Group and Eicher Motors, recorded sales of 7,318 units in April 2026, compared to 6,846 units in April 2025, registering 6.9 per cent growth. The total included 7,159 units under the Eicher brand and 159 units under the Volvo brand.Eicher branded trucks and buses reported sales of 7,159 units during the month, up 6.6 per cent from 6,717 units in April 2025. In the domestic commercial vehicle market, Eicher sales rose 8.6 per cent to 6,797 units from 6,257 units a year earlier.Exports declined 21.3 per cent, with VECV recording 362 units in ..