Latest Parachute Stories

On Feb. 29, NASA successfully conducted another drop test of the Orion crew vehicle's entry, descent and landing parachutes high above the Arizona desert in preparation for the vehicle's orbital flight test in 2014. Orion will carry astronauts deeper into space than ever before, provide emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during space travel and ensure a safe re-entry and landing. An Air Force C-17 plane dropped a test version of Orion from an altitude of 25,000 feet above the...

HOUSTON, March 1, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Feb. 29, NASA successfully conducted another drop test of the Orion crew vehicle's entry, descent and landing parachutes high above the Arizona desert in preparation for the vehicle's orbital flight test in 2014. Orion will carry astronauts deeper into space than ever before, provide emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during space travel and ensure a safe re-entry and landing. (Logo:...

FREDERICKSBURG, Va., Jan. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Parachute Association reports that the breathtaking sport of skydiving continued to grow in 2011 and is poised to thrill even more jumpers throughout Leap Year 2012. Last year, more than a half million people took the leap for the first time at some 200 USPA-affiliated skydiving centers across the country. Whether to cross an item off their bucket lists or discover a new hobby and passion, first-timers took the life-changing...

NASA successfully conducted a drop test of the Orion crew vehicle's parachutes high above the Arizona desert Tuesday in preparation for its orbital flight test in 2014. Orion will carry astronauts deeper into space than ever before, provide emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during space travel and ensure a safe re-entry and landing. A C-130 plane dropped the Orion test article from an altitude of 25,000 feet above the U.S. Army's Yuma Proving Grounds. Orion's drogue chutes were...

HOUSTON, Dec. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA successfully conducted a drop test of the Orion crew vehicle's parachutes high above the Arizona desert Tuesday in preparation for its orbital flight test in 2014. Orion will carry astronauts deeper into space than ever before, provide emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during space travel and ensure a safe re-entry and landing. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20081007/38461LOGO) A C-130 plane dropped the...

NASA this week completed the first in a series of flight-like parachute tests for the agency's Orion spacecraft. The drop tests at the U.S. Army's Yuma Proving Grounds in Arizona support the design and development of the Orion parachute assembly. Flying at an altitude of 25,000 feet, a drop-test article that mimicked the Orion parachute compartment was deployed from a C-130 aircraft. Once airborne, two drogue chutes were deployed at an altitude of 19,000 feet, followed by three pilot...

NEW YORK, Dec. 8, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Tis the season to be jolly, and there's no more joyful way to greet the holidays than with Daryl Hall and Latin music legend Jose Feliciano, who join together for a special holiday edition in the 37th installment of the award-winning Live From Daryl's House web show. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101208/LA14620) The Puerto Rican-born, eight-time Grammy winner first exploded onto the pop music scene 40 years ago, earning Best New Artist...

FREDERICKSBURG, Va., July 14 /PRNewswire/ -- On screen and off, celebrities are taking flight, but not in any private jet. Instead, Shania Twain, Hilary Swank and Chuck Norris are just a few of the celebrities who are going up--and jumping out. According to the United States Parachute Association (USPA), NASCAR driver Brian Vickers and country music star Craig Morgan are the most recent celebrities to complete student training and earn skydiving licenses. Even ex-President George H.W....

FREDERICKSBURG, Va., Feb. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Skydiving centers across the country have found an unusual way to contribute to the Haiti relief effort - by using skydiving aircraft to transport food and medical supplies to the island. "Jump aircraft are especially well-suited for these missions," said Ed Scott, executive director of the U.S. Parachute Association (USPA). "Most have large cargo doors and are easily converted to carry cargo. Most can also take off and land on short and sometimes...

FREDERICKSBURG, Va., Jan. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Skydiving continues to improve its safety record, according to new statistics released today by the U.S. Parachute Association (USPA), America's skydiving authority. In 2009, the USPA recorded the fewest fatal accidents in over 40 years - 16 - out of nearly 3 million jumps made by over 32,000 USPA members and 400,000 first-time skydivers. That's the fewest number of fatal accidents in more than four decades. "Skydiving is never without risk,"...