Satellite Services

Mission Goal

Design and build a parachute recovery system that reliably deploys and reduces impact. Your system must be repeatable and measurable: it should work more than once, not just “one lucky drop.”

Why it matters

Parachutes are real mission-critical hardware in sounding rockets, balloon payloads, and drop tests. They turn violent landings into recoverable landings—protecting payloads and data.

Inputs from other teams

• Payload/Data team: payload mass and fragile constraints; acceptable landing speed
• Structures team: strong attachment points; housing/packing ideas
• Materials team: what fabric/plastic is available and safe
• Mission Control: data sheet format; consistent test environment notes

Design rules

• Interpretation & trade-offs: larger chute slows more but tangles more; lines add stability but snag.
• Measure outcomes: don’t just say “slow” — estimate descent rate or time-from-height.
• Repeatability: it must deploy reliably across multiple trials.

Shared Space.craft.ed challenge principles apply. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}

Build steps

1. Select canopy shape: circle, hexagon, or square (start simple).
2. Choose canopy material: bin liner, thin fabric, ripstop scraps, lightweight plastic sheet.
3. Cut and reinforce corners/edge: tape patches where lines attach to stop tearing.
4. Add suspension lines: 4–8 lines; equal length; attach symmetrically.
5. Build a simple pack/deploy method: fold canopy; loosely tuck; ensure it can open (avoid tight knots).
6. Attach to payload: central bridle point (one ring/knot) attached to the payload’s strongest point.

Test protocol

1. Baseline: drop without parachute (3 trials from 1.5 m) to compare.
2. Deployment check: 5 trials from 2.0 m (or safe stairwell height) focusing on “opens cleanly.”
3. Timing: use a phone stopwatch or video frames to estimate descent time from a known height.
4. Tangle audit: record any partial opens, line tangles, canopy collapse, or oscillation.
5. Iteration: change one variable at a time (canopy size OR line length OR number of lines).

Success criteria

• Parachute deploys cleanly in at least 4 out of 5 trials.
• Measured descent time is consistently longer than baseline from the same height.
• Payload shows reduced damage risk (less bounce, fewer edge impacts, protected landing face).

Evidence checklist

• Diagram/photo of canopy shape + dimensions.
• Line count + line length (and how you ensured they’re equal).
• Deployment results table (5 trials): opened? (Y/N), notes.
• Descent timing data (height, time, average).
• Short video of a clean deployment.

Safety

• No high drops outdoors in wind without supervision (parachutes drift).
• Don’t drop near stair edges, balconies, or crowded corridors.
• Keep strings away from faces; avoid thin line that can cut (use safe cord).

Common failure modes

• Canopy too small: minimal slowing; still hard impact.
• Lines uneven: canopy collapses or spins badly.
• Packing too tight: canopy can’t inflate quickly.
• Weak attachment: canopy tears at line points.
• Oscillation: swings into walls/ground at an angle.

Stretch goals

• Add a small spill hole (center vent) and measure if it reduces oscillation.
• Try 6 vs 8 lines and compare stability.
• Create a “pack checklist” that another student can follow with the same success rate.