INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
SpaceX has managed to run 13 successful parachute tests in a row of the third major revision of the parachute system it planning to use
for its Crew Dragon spacecraft
The most recent test, which SpaceX shared a shorted edited video clip of on Twitter, involved using the system with one of the parachutes
intentionally not deploying, to prove that it can land the crew craft safely even in case of a partial failure.
This is a big step for
SpaceX plan to launch NASA astronauts aboard Crew Dragon
Last month, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine visited SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California, where he and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk held
a press conference to discuss their progress on the commercial crew program
At that event, Musk said that he felt SpaceX was aiming to do &at least& 10 successful tests of its revised ‘Mark 3& parachute system in a
row before any astronauts fly with the system in use.
&We certainly want to get […] at least on the order of 10 successful tests in a row
before, before launching astronauts,& Musk said at the time
&So that seems like where the the behavior of the parachutes is consistent, is across 10 successful tests.&
At the time, Musk added that
they were anticipating get to at least 10 successful test prior to the end of the year, so managing 13 definitely fits with that schedule,
and in fact seems to be a rare occasion where SpaceX is actually ahead of the often optimistic timelines that Musk sets as targets.
SpaceX
team has completed 13 successful tests in a row of upgraded Mark 3 parachutes for Crew Dragon
Most recent test demonstrated the parachute system ability to land the spacecraft safely in the unlikely event that one of the four main
pic.twitter.com/VJzDeS8UAG
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) November 3, 2019
This third generation of parachute being used for Crew Dragon uses Zylon
in place of nylon, which is a polymer material originally developed by SRI and that provides the lines used in the parachute around three
times the strength of nylon
SpaceX also updated the stitching pattern to optimize the load balance on the new parachutes.
Next up for SpaceX is a launch aboard test
that should happen as early as this coming week
SpaceX test will be a ground-baed test filing of the Crew Dragon abort engines, which is set to happen as early as Wednesday
After that, it still hoping to get an in-flight abort test done before year& send, which will show how the Crew Dragon can jettison from a
Falcon 9 rocket after lift-off in case of emergency.
Both NASA and SpaceX have expressed optimism about getting an actual crewed flight off
the ground early next year, provided everything else in terms of testing requirements goes smoothly between now and then.
