NASA Orionspacecraftparachute

NASA’s Orion spacecraft has successfully completed its latest round of parachute trials at the US Yuma Army Proving Ground in Arizona.

The test was carried out to analyse the maximum level of pressure that the parachutes would experience while returning to Earth, in addition to examining the different condition or behaviour of each chute.

NASA’s Orion parachute assembly system project manager Chris Johnson said that the tests would enable them to verify whether the parachute system for the spacecraft was safe, efficient and robust.

The latest trial showed that parachutes, each measuring 116ft-wide and weighing over 300lbs, could be deployed at the maximum velocity expected while returning from deep space, Johnson added.

"The tests will enable NASA to verify whether the parachute system for the spacecraft is safe, efficient and robust."

For the trial, a C-130 aircraft was used to drop a dart-shaped test vehicle, which was equipped with a simulated Orion parachute compartment, from a height of 25,000ft, after which the drogue chutes were set out at 20,000ft, followed by the deployment of small pilot chutes and the three main-landing parachutes.

NASA is using a dart-shaped test vehicle to replicate the speed at which Orion will descend after its exploration mission, and a test vehicle that is more like the actual spacecraft.

Claimed to be the most advanced spacecraft, Orion will feature emergency abort capability, sustain astronauts during space travel and enable safe re-entry to Earth.

Orion’s first unmanned test flight, Exploration Flight Test 1 will be launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, in 2014, during which it will travel more than 3,600 miles into space and cruise at speeds in excess of 20,000mph before landing on Earth.

The spacecraft will be launched by NASA’s Space Launch System in 2017.

Image: A dart-shaped test vehicle descends with its three main-landing parachutes at the US Yuma Army Proving Ground in Arizona. Photo: courtesy of NASA.