Ares I-X Parachute Analysis
May 20, 2010
Ares I-X main parachutes installed in Forward Skirt Extension. Ares designers intentionally removed the Y-shaped interior support used in the Shuttle boosters to decrease any chance fabric or lines could snag. The packed parachutes hang below the supporting structure and during the Ares I-X ascent, the weight of the three one-ton parachutes shifted during flight. Engineers believe this movement caused the line to snag.
Topics:
Spaceflight, Spacecraft, Space exploration, forward, Ares I-X, Parachute, Ares, Shuttle-Derived Launch Vehicle, Ares I, Project Constellation, Human spaceflight, NASA
