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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 253 records · Page 14
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1981

Development of the Aries parachute system

The design and testing of a two-stage parachute system to recover a space telescope weighing up to 2200 pounds is described. The system consists of a 15-ft diameter ribbon parachute reefed to 50 percent for 10 seconds and a 73-ft diameter paraform or cross second stage reefed to 20 percent for 10 seconds. The results of ten drop tests and two operational rocket launched flights are presented. Two successful operational recoveries of 1600-lb and 2050-lb NASA space telescopes were conducted at White Sands Missile Range, NM. The payloads are launched by ARIES rockets to altitudes of about 194 and 163 miles above sea level.

Pepper, W. B.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Feasibility study using large ribbon parachutes, retrorockets, and hydrodynamic attenuation to recover liquid rocket boosters for the Space Shuttle

A new three-phase approach to recovery of the large liquid rocket boosters being studied for the Space Shuttle is proposed. The concept consists of a cluster of larger ribbon parachutes, retrorockets, and spar mode flotation. The two inert liquid rocket boosters weighing 115,000 lb to 183,000 lb descend from high altitude in a side-on coning attitude to 16,000 ft altitude where a cluster of large ribbon parachutes are deployed. The terminal velocity near water landing is 80 ft/sec. Retrorockets are used to decrease the velocity to about 40 ft/sec. The third phase is opening of the front end of the cylindrical rocket case to allow flooding to cushion impact and allow vertical flotation in the spar mode keeping the four expensive liquid rocket engines dry.

Pepper, William B.↗
NASA NTRS1990

A summary of spin-recovery parachute experience on light airplanes

From 1977 to 1989, the NASA Langley Research Center conducted stall/spin flight tests of variations of four typical light airplanes. Each was equipped with an identical tail-mounted, spin-recovery parachute system. The system was used 29 times to arrest otherwise unrecoverable spins and was used at least twice on each airplane. The 10.5 ft diameter, ring-slot, spin-recovery parachute with 20 ft attachment lines and drag coefficient of .545 provided recovery from spins at angles of attack of 32 to 79 degrees and rotation rates of 122 to 261 degrees per second in less than 3 1/2 turns.

Stough, H. Paul, III↗
NASA NTRS1994

Parachute having improved vent line stacking

A parachute having an improved vent line stacking wherein the parachute is provided with a canopy having a central vent opening and a vent band secured to the canopy around the periphery of the vent opening, with a plurality of vent lines each lying on a diameter of the vent opening and having its ends secured to the vent band on opposite sides of the vent opening is described. The vent lines are sewed to the vent band in an order such that the end of a first vent line is sewed to the vent band at a starting point with the end of a second vent band then being sewed to the vent band adjacent to and counterclockwise from the first band. A third vent band is sewed to the vent band adjacent to and clockwise from the first band, with a fourth vent band being sewed to the vent band adjacent to and counterclockwise from the second vent band. It can be seen that, if the vent lines are numbered in the order of being sewed to the vent band, the odd numbered vent lines will run consecutively in a clockwise direction and the even numbered lines will run consecutively in a counterclockwise direction from the starting point. With this order of assembly, each and every vent line will be separated from adjacent vent lines by no more than one vent line in the center of the vent opening where the vent lines cross.

Hengel, John E.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Parallel Three-Dimensional Computation of Fluid Dynamics and Fluid-Structure Interactions of Ram-Air Parachutes

This is a final report as far as our work at University of Minnesota is concerned. The report describes our research progress and accomplishments in development of high performance computing methods and tools for 3D finite element computation of aerodynamic characteristics and fluid-structure interactions (FSI) arising in airdrop systems, namely ram-air parachutes and round parachutes. This class of simulations involves complex geometries, flexible structural components, deforming fluid domains, and unsteady flow patterns. The key components of our simulation toolkit are a stabilized finite element flow solver, a nonlinear structural dynamics solver, an automatic mesh moving scheme, and an interface between the fluid and structural solvers; all of these have been developed within a parallel message-passing paradigm.

Tezduyar, Tayfun E.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Partial Validation of Multibody Program to Optimize Simulated Trajectories II (POST II) Parachute Simulation With Interacting Forces

A capability to simulate trajectories Of Multiple interacting rigid bodies has been developed. This capability uses the Program to Optimize Simulated Trajectories II (POST II). Previously, POST II had the ability to simulate multiple bodies without interacting forces. The current implementation is used for the Simulation of parachute trajectories, in which the parachute and suspended bodies can be treated as rigid bodies. An arbitrary set of connecting lines can be included in the model and are treated as massless spring-dampers. This paper discusses details of the connection line modeling and results of several test cases used to validate the capability.

Raiszadeh, Ben↗
NASA NTRS2006

Asymptotic Parachute Performance Sensitivity

In 2010, the Mars Science Laboratory mission will pioneer the next generation of robotic Entry, Descent, and Landing systems by delivering the largest and most capable rover to date to the surface of Mars. In addition to landing more mass than any other mission to Mars, Mars Science Laboratory will also provide scientists with unprecedented access to regions of Mars that have been previously unreachable. By providing an Entry, Descent, and Landing system capable of landing at altitudes as high as 2 km above the reference gravitational equipotential surface, or areoid, as defined by the Mars Orbiting Laser Altimeter program, Mars Science Laboratory will demonstrate sufficient performance to land on 83% of the planet s surface. By contrast, the highest altitude landing to date on Mars has been the Mars Exploration Rover at 1.3 km below the areoid. The coupling of this improved altitude performance with latitude limits as large as 60 degrees off of the equator and a precise delivery to within 10 km of a surface target, will allow the science community to select the Mars Science Laboratory landing site from thousands of scientifically interesting possibilities. In meeting these requirements, Mars Science Laboratory is extending the limits of the Entry, Descent, and Landing technologies qualified by the Mars Viking, Mars Pathfinder, and Mars Exploration Rover missions. Specifically, the drag deceleration provided by a Viking-heritage 16.15 m supersonic Disk-Gap-Band parachute in the thin atmosphere of Mars is insufficient, at the altitudes and ballistic coefficients under consideration by the Mars Science Laboratory project, to maintain necessary altitude performance and timeline margin. This paper defines and discusses the asymptotic parachute performance observed in Monte Carlo simulation and performance analysis and its effect on the Mars Science Laboratory Entry, Descent, and Landing architecture.

Way, David W.↗
NASA NTRS2005

FPGA development for high altitude subsonic parachute testing

This paper describes a rapid, top down requirements-driven design of an FPGA used in an Earth qualification test program for a new Mars subsonic parachute. The FPGA is used to process and store data from multiple sensors at multiple rates during launch, ascent, deployment and descent phases of the subsonic parachute test.

telemetry↗
NASA NTRS2005

FPGA development for high altitude subsonic parachute testing

This paper describes a rapid, top down requirements-driven design of a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) used in an Earth qualification test program for a new Mars subsonic parachute. The FPGA is used to process and control storage of telemetry data from multiple sensors throughout launch, ascent, deployment and descent phases of the subsonic parachute test.

Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)↗
NASA NTRS2005

High altitude subsonic parachute field programmable gate array

This paper describes a rapid, top down requirements-driven design of an FPGA used in an Earth qualification test program for a new Mars subsonic parachute. The FPGA is used to process and control storage of telemetry data from multiple sensors throughout; launch, ascent, deployment and descent phases of the subsonic parachute test.

FPGA methodology↗
NASA NTRS2008

Low-Speed Flight Dynamic Tests and Analysis of the Orion Crew Module Drogue Parachute System

A test of a dynamically scaled model of the NASA Orion Crew Module (CM) with drogue parachutes was conducted in the NASA-Langley 20-Foot Vertical Spin Tunnel. The primary test objective was to assess the ability of the Orion Crew Module drogue parachute system to adequately stabilize the CM and reduce angular rates at low subsonic Mach numbers. Two attachment locations were tested: the current design nominal and an alternate. Experimental results indicated that the alternate attachment location showed a somewhat greater tendency to attenuate initial roll rate and reduce roll rate oscillations than the nominal location. Comparison of the experimental data to a Program To Optimize Simulated Trajectories (POST II) simulation of the experiment yielded results for the nominal attachment point that indicate differences between the low-speed pitch and yaw damping derivatives in the aerodynamic database and the physical model. Comparisons for the alternate attachment location indicate that riser twist plays a significant role in determining roll rate attenuation characteristics. Reevaluating the impact of the alternate attachment points using a simulation modified to account for these results showed significantly reduced roll rate attenuation tendencies when compared to the original simulation. Based on this modified simulation the alternate attachment point does not appear to offer a significant increase in allowable roll rate over the nominal configuration.

Hahne, David E.↗
NASA NTRS2009

2008 Accomplishments for CEV Parachute Assembly System (CPAS)

The Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) Parachute Assembly System (CPAS) project is responsible for the design, development, fabrication, qualification and delivery of the CEV parachute system to support the Orion pad/ascent flight tests and the first three orbital flight tests (including the first human mission). This article will discuss the technical and research achievements accomplished in calendar year 2008, broken into three key categories: prototype testing and analysis (also referred to as the Generation 1 design), system requirements definition and design of the flight engineering development unit, and support for the Orion vehicle flight testing (primarily Pad-Abort 1).

Martin, Ricardo↗
NASA NTRS2009

Development and Testing of the Orion CEV Parachute Assembly System (CPAS)

The Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) is an element of the Constellation Program that includes launch vehicles, spacecraft, and ground systems needed to embark on a robust space exploration program. As an anchoring capability of the Constellation Program, the CEV shall be human-rated and will carry human crews and cargo from Earth into space and back again. Coupled with transfer stages, landing vehicles, and surface exploration systems, the CEV will serve as an essential component of the architecture that supports human voyages to the Moon and beyond. In addition, the CEV will be modified, as required, to support International Space Station (ISS) mission requirements for crewed and pressurized cargo configurations. Headed by Johnson Space Center (JSC), NASA selected Jacobs Engineering as the support contractor to manage the overall CEV Parachute Assembly System (CPAS) program development. Airborne Systems was chosen to develop the parachute system components. General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS) was subcontracted to Airborne Systems to provide the mortar systems. Thus the CPAS development team of JSC, Jacobs, Airborne Systems and GD-OTS was formed. The CPAS team has completed the first phase, or Generation I, of the design, fabrication, and test plan. This paper presents an overview of the CPAS program including system requirements and the development of the second phase, known as the Engineering Development Unit (EDU) architecture. We also present top level results of the tests completed to date. A significant number of ground and flight tests have been completed since the last CPAS presentation at the 2007 AIAA ADS Conference.

Lichodziejewski, David↗
NASA NTRS2001

Development Of An 80'-Diameter Ribbon Drogue Parachute For The NASA X-38 Vehicle

The NASA X-38 program required a larger, more robust drogue parachute. A multi-organizational team from NASA, Sandia National Laboratories, United Space Alliance, and Pioneer Aerospace Corporation has developed and tested a new 80-ft.-dia., quarter-spherical, ribbon drogue parachute. The design requirements, design specifics, margin analyses, and results of testing are all discussed herein. Some of the weight advantages of switching from Kevlar to Zylon for radial, line and riser materials are presented.

Behr, Vance L.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Rocket-Powered Parachutes Rescue Entire Planes

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts with Langley Research Center helped BRS Aerospace, of Saint Paul, Minnesota, to develop technology that has saved 246 lives to date. The company s whole aircraft parachute systems deploy in less than 1 second thanks to solid rocket motors and are capable of arresting the descent of a small aircraft, lowering it safely to the ground. BRS has sold more than 30,000 systems worldwide, and the technology is now standard equipment on many of the world s top-selling aircraft. Parachutes for larger airplanes are in the works.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2011

The Parachute System Recovery of the Orion Pad Abort Test 1

The Orion Pad Abort Test 1 was conducted at the US Army White Sands Missile range in May 2010. The capsule was successfully recovered using the original design for the parachute recovery system, referred to as the CEV Parachute Assembly System (CPAS). The CPAS was designed to a set of requirements identified prior to the development of the PA-1 test; these requirements were not entirely consistent with the design of the PA-1 test. This presentation will describe the original CPAS design, how the system was modified to accommodate the PA-1 requirements, and what special analysis had to be performed to demonstrate positive margins for the CPAS. The presentation will also discuss the post test analysis and how it compares to the models that were used to design the system.

Machin, Ricardo↗