P is for Parachutes which are such a drag (That is a good thing for a spacecraft) - Parachutes are used to slow the motion of the capsule through the atmosphere by creating drag. The Orion spacecraft will use 11 parachutes during re-entry – 3 parachutes to remove a cover which protects the other parachutes during re-entry and 8 parachutes to slow the spacecraft down for a safe landing in the Pacific Ocean. The Orion spacecraft will be travelling at close to 20,000 mph when the heat shield begins to interact with the atmosphere and slow the spacecraft through aerobraking. Once the spacecraft is slowed to about 300 mph at 25,000 ft. altitude, the protective cover is removed using pyrotechnics, thrusters and the first three parachutes. The next two parachutes will then deploy and open. Once the spacecraft slows to around 100 mph, the three main parachutes will then deploy using three pilot parachutes and slow the spacecraft to around 20 mph for splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. When fully deployed, the canopies of three main parachutes for Orion could together cover almost an entire football field. -
Posted on: Mon, 01 Dec 2014 01:25:14 +0000
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