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

Lichodziejewski, David; Taylor, Anthony P.; Sinclair, Robert; Olmstead, Randy; Kelley, Christopher; Johnson, Justin C.; Melgares, Michael; Morris, Aaron L.; Bledsoe, Kristin J.

doi:10.2514/6.2009-2938

Cited by 11 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 2 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…A series of tests are planned and executed to analyze the effects of the main parachutes II. Key parameters of the crucifrom parachute system in the drop test in a cluster configuration (Lichodziejewski et al, 2009;Olmstead et al, 2009). CPAS consists of five parachutes, one extraction parachute, two Drogue parachutes and two main parachutes.…”

Section: Two-stage Reefed Parachutementioning

confidence: 99%

Optimization of the reefed parachute using genetic algorithm

Yang

Zhao

2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to find optimal reef parameters to minimize the maximum instantaneous opening load for a reefed parachute with geometry and environmental parameters given in the model. Design/methodology/approach The dynamic model Drop Test Vehicle Simulation (DTVSim) is used to model the inflation and descent of the reefed parachute system. It is solved by the fourth-order Runge–Kutta method, and the opening load values are thereby obtained. A parallel genetic algorithm (GA) code is developed to optimize the reefed parachute. A penalty scheme is used to have the maximum dynamic pressure restricted within a certain range. Findings The simulation results from DTVSim fit well with experimental data from drop tests, showing that the simulator has high accuracy. The one-stage and two-stage reefed parachute systems are optimized by GA and their maximum opening loads are decreased by 43 and 25 per cent, respectively. With the optimal reef parameters, two of the peaks in the opening load curve are almost equal. The velocity, loiter time and flight path angle of the parachute system all change, but these changes have no negative effect on the parachute’s operational performance. Originality/value An optimization method for reefed parachute design is proposed for the first time. This methodology can be used in the preliminary design phase for a reefed parachute system and significantly improve design efficiency.

show abstract

Section: Two-stage Reefed Parachutementioning

confidence: 99%

Optimization of the reefed parachute using genetic algorithm

Yang

Zhao

2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The Generation I CPAS parachute system configuration consists of two mortar-deployed Drogue parachutes, three mortar-deployed Pilot parachutes, and three Pilot-deployed Main parachutes. 1,2 A series of tests was planned and executed to test the CPAS Generation I Main parachutes individually, and a second series of tests was executed to analyze the effects of the Mains in a cluster configuration. These tests occurred between August 2007 and July 2008 at the US Army Yuma Proving Ground (YPG).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Overview of the Crew Exploration Vehicle Parachute Assembly System (CPAS) Generation I Drogue and Pilot Development Test Results

Bledsoe¹,

Englert

Morris³

et al. 2009

20th AIAA Aerodynamic Decelerator Systems Technology Conference and Seminar

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The Orion spacecraft is currently under development by NASA and Lockheed Martin. Previously known as the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), Orion is the next generation spacecraft for human spaceflight. The Orion Crew Module (CM) resembles the Apollo capsule, but is much larger. Like Apollo, Orion will return to Earth under a parachute system. This parachute system is being designed by NASA, Jacobs Engineering, and Airborne Systems. The Generation I CPAS parachute system configuration consists of two mortar-deployed Drogue parachutes, three mortar-deployed Pilot parachutes, and three Pilot-deployed Main parachutes. A series of tests was planned and executed to test the CPAS Generation I Main parachutes individually, and a second series of tests was executed to analyze the effects of the Mains in a cluster configuration. These tests occurred between August 2007 and July 2008 at the US Army Yuma Proving Ground (YPG). The goal of each test was to determine the performance of the parachutes at the established test conditions. A variety of test techniques were used to establish the desired test conditions at parachute deployment. Prior to each flight, rigorous analyses were accomplished 1) to establish the validity of the test technique, 2) to establish sequencer timing, 3) to keep the predicted parachute loads within the parachute and hardware capability, and 4) to plan the test to operate within the required constraints of the range. Analysis tools included simulations such as the Decelerator Systems Simulation (DSS), an aircraft extraction tool Decelerator Systems Simulation Application (DSSA), Decelerator Dynamics (DCLDYN), a modified two degree of freedom version of DSS called DTV-Sim, and a landing footprint predictor tool (Sasquatch). After each test, the tools were used to reconstruct the parachute performance during the flight using the data gathered on-board and by the range. Reconstructions were used to update the existing parachute models/simulations for ongoing development work. The performance parameters were found to be consistent between tests for the individual Main parachutes. Test techniques, preflight predictions, test instrumentation, reconstruction results and challenges, and a brief discussion of the lessons learned from each test will be presented.

show abstract

“…CPAS is currently in the design and testing phase of development. [1][2][3] The test program consists of numerous drop tests, wherein a test article rigged with parachutes is extracted or released from an aircraft. A sequence of parachutes is deployed throughout the trajectory.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of the Sasquatch Drop Test Footprint Tool

Bledsoe

2011

21st AIAA Aerodynamic Decelerator Systems Technology Conference and Seminar

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The Crew Exploration Vehicle Parachute Assembly System (CPAS) is the parachute system for NASA's Orion spacecraft. CPAS is currently in the design and testing phase of development. The test program consists of numerous drop tests, wherein a test article rigged with parachutes is extracted or released from an aircraft. During such tests, range safety is paramount, as is the recoverability of the parachutes and test article. It is crucial to establish an aircraft release point that will ensure that the article and all items released from it will land in safe locations. Early in the CPAS project, a legacy tool (previously used on the X-38 project) was used to determine a safe release point and to predict the landing locations (the footprint) of the payload and all released objects. Due to increasing test complexity and the need for a more flexible tool, a new footprint predictor tool, called Sasquatch, was created in MATLAB. This tool takes in a simulated trajectory for the test article, information about all released objects, and atmospheric wind data (simulated or actual) to calculate the trajectories of the released objects. Dispersions are applied to the landing locations of those objects, taking into account the variability of winds, aircraft release point, and object descent rate. A safe aircraft release point is determined based on the landing locations of the payload and released objects.

show abstract

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

Cited by 11 publications

References 2 publications

Optimization of the reefed parachute using genetic algorithm

Optimization of the reefed parachute using genetic algorithm

Overview of the Crew Exploration Vehicle Parachute Assembly System (CPAS) Generation I Drogue and Pilot Development Test Results

Development of the Sasquatch Drop Test Footprint Tool

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About