The development and testing of the HISAC parachute recovery system
The High Speed Airdrop Container (HISAC) is currently being developed by Sandia National Laboratories for the US Army. The 825 lb HISAC will be delivered from altitudes as low as 200 ft above ground level and speeds as high as Mach 0.95. The parachute recovery system must produce an impact velocity less than 40 fps, an impact angle greater than 70 deg from horizontal and a maximum deceleration less than 30 g's. Candidates for main parachutes to be used in the recovery systems have included a cluster of three 21-ft-dia ribbon parachutes, a cluster of two 22-ft-dia ringslot cargo parachutes, a single high strength 35-ft-dia T-10 canopy, and a cluster of three standard 35-ft-dia T-10 parachutes. Results from airdrop and ground tests indicate that the use of a reefed and staged drogue in conjunction with a cluster of three standard unreefed T-10 personnel parachutes provides the best combined turnover and impact velocity characteristics. Initial deployment of the drogue parachute is produced by an aerodynamically deployed tailplate which produces no appreciable carriage drag. Results from ground tests indicate that reliable deployment of the tailplate is achievable through the use of aerodynamic drag surfaces which are deployed shortly after the HISAC is released from the carriage aircraft. 5 refs., 3 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 6477786
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-88-2751C; CONF-8904118-6; ON: DE89007585
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 10. AIAA aerodynamic decelerator systems technical conference, Cocoa Beach, FL, USA, 18 Apr 1989; Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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