
Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) parachuste test in the NASA Ames 80x120ft Subsonic Wind Tunnel at Moffett Field, Calif. (TR #22 - Phase 6) is the largest ever built to fly on an extraterrestrail mission. This image shows a duplicate qualification-test parachute inflated in a 80-mile-per-hour (36-meter-per-second) wind inside the test facility. It has 80 suspension lines, measures more that 50 meers (165 feet) in lenght, and opens to a diameter of nearly 16 meters (51 feet). Most the the orange and white fabric is nylon, though a small disk of heavier polyester is used near the vent in the apex of the canapy due to the higher stresses there. It is designed to survive deployment at Mach 2.2 in the Martian atmosphere, where it will generate up to 65,000 pounds of drag force.
Most NASA images are in the public domain and free to use. Credit NASA as the source. Check NASA's media usage guidelines for details. Images featuring identifiable individuals may require additional permissions.
NASA ID
ARC-2009-ACD09-0053-008
Date Created
April 8, 2009
Center
ARC
Media Type
image
Photographer
Dominic Hart
Download this image in multiple resolutions. All NASA media are free for public use.
Large
1920px