The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducted the third Integrated Main Parachute Airdrop Test (IMAT-03) for the Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme at the Babina Field Firing Range in Jhansi district, Uttar Pradesh. The test was conducted in collaboration with the Indian Air Force (IAF), which deployed an IL-76 heavy transport aircraft for the trial.
During the test, a simulated mass equivalent to the Crew Module was dropped from an altitude of 2.5 kilometres. The 10-parachute deceleration system, comprising pilot parachutes, drogue parachutes, and main parachutes, was deployed in sequence. The IMAT-03 specifically validated the 'extreme disreef' scenario — a critical safety condition where one of the main parachutes fails to fully open — ensuring that the remaining parachutes can safely bring the crew module to the ground under degraded conditions.
This test is a significant milestone in India's first human spaceflight mission. The Gaganyaan programme aims to send Indian astronauts called Gaganyatris to low Earth orbit (LEO) at an altitude of 400 km for a 3-day mission. ISRO has been systematically validating all crew safety and recovery systems in a phased test campaign. Earlier IMAT tests validated normal parachute deployment; IMAT-03 now adds robustness by certifying the system under failure scenarios.
The successful completion of IMAT-03 brings India closer to its goal of an uncrewed orbital mission followed by the crewed Gaganyaan mission. The programme has strategic importance for India's space ambitions, demonstrating indigenous capability in crew escape, recovery, and human-rated systems.