ISRO Successfully Conducts IMAT-05 Parachute Airdrop Test

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ISRO completed the fifth Integrated Main Parachute Airdrop Test (IMAT-05) at the ADRDE drop zone located in Sheopur.

IMAT-05 serves as a high-altitude structural test built to check the physical strength, deployment steps, and aerodynamic flow of the Gaganyaan crew module slowing system.
It mimics the severe physical pressures a spacecraft hits when it re-enters Earth atmosphere before landing in the ocean.
The test ran as a team effort between ISRO and the Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) under DRDO.
The core goal of IMAT-05 was to check the absolute design limits and safety margins of the main parachute under heavy load conditions expected in the upcoming G1 uncrewed flight.

A dummy load matching the weight of the actual crew module was dropped from a height of 2.5 km using an Indian Air Force IL-76 heavy transport aircraft.
The complete deceleration setup uses four distinct parachute types to manage the falling speed of the capsule.
Two Apex Cover Separation Parachutes throw off the protective top cover of the capsule to open the parachute section.
Two Drogue Parachutes enter the high-speed air to steady the capsule and slow its initial fall rate.
Three Pilot Parachutes act as small pullers to drag out the main canopies.
Three Main Parachutes open one after another to bring the crew module speed down to a safe level for impact.
The test proved the success of the sequential disreefing process where the parachute opens in controlled stages instead of opening all at once.
This staged opening protects the fabric and lines from ripping apart under sudden and high dynamic pressures.

IMAT-05 tested the parachute under peak aerodynamic loads and gave vital safety clearance for the upcoming Gaganyaan uncrewed G1 demo flight.
The test confirmed parachute strength and backup systems during extreme re-entry phases to guarantee safe crew capsule landing.