Nasa has successfully concluded the final development test of the Orion spacecraft’s parachute system at the US Army Yuma Proving Ground in Yuma, Arizona.
The test proved Orion’s parachutes capability to appropriately deploy and endure high-inflation loads when the spacecraft descends faster than planned.
With the dart-shaped vehicle, engineers can simulate faster descent conditions than the capsule-shaped test item, which was previously used in many experiments.
The test further assessed new, lighter weight suspension line material for the parachutes.
Orion parachute system project manager CJ Johnson said: "The completion of this last development test of the parachute system gives us a high degree of confidence that we will be successful in certifying the system with the remaining qualification tests for flights with astronauts.
"During our development series, we have tested all kinds of failure scenarios and extreme descent conditions to refine the design and ensure Orion’s parachutes will work in a variety of circumstances.
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By GlobalData"We will verify the system is sound during our qualification tests."
During the test, a C-17 plane dropped the test vehicle from 30,000ft above the US Army base in Arizona.
The test assessed details of the parachute system’s mechanisms including how the mortars fire, as well as how the parachutes unfurl and descend.
Orion’s parachute system forms a crucial part for returning crews, who will travel to deep space during the mission to Mars and come back to Earth in the spacecraft.
When the crew module travels over 300mph speed, the first parachutes will deploy and in the next few minutes, the remaining parachute system slows down the vehicle and helps it to dive in the ocean at 20mph.
The system features 11 parachutes that deploy in an exact order.
The latest test was the seventh in the developmental series of the system. Nasa will start tests of Orion’s parachute system for flights with astronauts in July. The tests will have eight drop tests in three years.
Last August, after an initial failure, Nasa successfully conducted Orion spacecraft’s parachute system test that ensures its ability to perform if deployed partially on re-entry.
Image: Orion’s three main parachutes begin to unfurl after they are drawn out by three pilot parachutes. Photo: courtesy of Nasa.
