Recovery trial operations of the Gaganyaan mission entered into the second phase with the commencement of harbour trials on July 20, 2023, at the Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam. ISRO and Indian Navy jointly carried out the trials with the ship identified for the recovery operations during the first Development Mission of the Test Vehicle.

The trials were conducted at the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam, using a mass and shape simulated Crew Module Mock-up (CMRM). This mock-up was a crucial component in the testing process, ensuring that the recovery procedures accurately simulated conditions.

The various stages of recovery were simulated during the trials, including the attachment of the recovery buoy, towing, handling, and lifting of the crew module onto the ship deck. These procedures were executed according to the recovery sequence, demonstrating the preparedness of the teams involved.

To ensure a seamless and safe recovery process, the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were fine-tuned based on the experiences from the phase-1 trials at the Water Survival Training Facility (WSTF) in Kochi. This iterative approach allowed for refinements to be made, enhancing the efficiency and reliability of the recovery operations.