Demonstrator - Parachute

Purpose:

The purpose of the parachute is to slow down the rockets descent such that it hits the ground traveling at 25ft/s or less.  

Requirements:

• While the parachute is reefed, it should travel at 65 ft/s

•  While the parachute is disreefed, it should travel at 25.4 ft/s

• The parachute should withstand shock forces of up to 26 lbf

• The parachute should deplot at apogee reefed, and disreef at 1500 ft.

Details/Design:

Material: 1.1oz ripstop, 400lb braided nylon shroud lines, 5/8" nylon bridle, 1500lb swivel

Weight: 5.7oz

Cd: Confirmed at 1.6 through drop testing and wind tunnel testing.

Reefing:

Reefed Parachute Deployment (~2,000 ft)

Dis-Reef of Parachute (1,500 ft)

Testing:

Drop Testing - calculate Cd

• Showed cd is roughly 1.6.

Ground Testing - tests deployment functionality

• First ground test: confirmed nose cone would deploy, but parachute bag remained stuck in the nose cone
• Second ground test: parachute successfully deployed, system works

Wind Tunnel Testing

• Confirmed cd at 1.6, showed reefing and disreefing works