ISRO has reached another important milestone in the preparation for the first unmanned Gaganyaan mission by successfully completing the fifth integrated test launch of the main parachute (IMAT-05). This test confirmed the ability of the crew module's main parachute system to withstand maximum expected loads during descent.
Details of the IMAT-05 Test
The test took place on July 7 at the ADRDE range in Sheopur. During this test, a simulated single main parachute along with a payload mock-up was dropped from an Indian Air Force IL-76 aircraft from an altitude of 2.5 km. After the stabilizing and drogue parachutes were deployed to stabilize the cargo, the main parachute opened and safely slowed the descent to terminal velocity.
Objectives and Descent System
According to ISRO statements, the goal of this test was to verify the structural integrity and safety margins of the main parachute under the most complex load conditions expected during Mission G1—the first uncrewed flight under the Gaganyaan program. The crew module deceleration system consists of ten parachutes of four different types. Initially, two deployment parachutes shed the protective casing, followed by two drogue parachutes that stabilize and slow the module.
Test Sequence
Subsequently, three pilot parachutes deploy three main parachutes, reducing the module's speed for a safe water landing. Although the announcement referred to it as the fifth IMAT, ISRO did not provide information on when IMAT-04 was conducted or what exactly it demonstrated. The last public confirmation of an IMAT test prior to this dates back to November 11, 2025, when the space agency announced the completion of IMAT-03, which was conducted on November 3, 2025.
History of Qualification Tests
The IMAT series is part of the qualification tests for the Gaganyaan parachute deceleration system, which ensures a safe landing speed for the crew module at the end of the descent. The series began on November 18, 2022, with IMAT-01, which simulated the failure of one of the main parachutes to test system redundancy and deployment sequence. For this, a five-ton crew module mock-up was used, dropped from an IL-76 aircraft from an altitude of 2.5 km. Later, IMAT-03 assessed another non-nominal scenario by introducing a delay between the deployment of two main parachutes to evaluate load distribution and structural stability.
Conclusion of Tests
With the completion of IMAT-05, ISRO disclosed the objectives of the first, third, and fifth tests but did not release separate public reports for IMAT-04 and IMAT-02. The latter test was conducted jointly by ISRO, DRDO, IAF, and the Indian Army. The successful qualification of the main parachute system increases confidence ahead of Mission G1, which will be the first uncrewed demonstration flight before India attempts to send astronauts into orbit under Gaganyaan.
