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ESA Document - Emits - ESA

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s<br />

Parameter Value<br />

Initial Mach number 2<br />

Initial altitude 10 km<br />

Final velocity 100 m/s<br />

Final altitude (above surface) 2 km<br />

HMM<br />

Assessment Study<br />

Report: CDF-20(A)<br />

February 2004<br />

page 360 of 422<br />

Table 4-45: Descent Requirements<br />

The size (area) of each parachute is limited by the restrictions of manufacturing, packing and<br />

deployment. Using present technology, a parachute area of around 1000 m 2 (diameter of about<br />

36 m) is considered to be a reasonable upper limit.<br />

4.4.7.2 Assumptions and trade-offs<br />

For this application disk-gap-band type parachutes are used. Of the options available, they<br />

provide the best area to mass ratio and have a sufficiently high Mach number application. Also,<br />

this type of parachute was used for the Mars Viking Lander so the Mars landing application has<br />

been successfully demonstrated (although not at the scale required here).<br />

Initially it was intended to have a drogue chute in addition to the main parachute(s). However, it<br />

was found that with the relatively small deceleration achieved with the drogue chute, the vehicle<br />

would continue to descend at a rate that would put it at too low an altitude for main parachute<br />

deployment. Therefore, the use of a drogue was rejected.<br />

It is assumed the MEV heat shield is jettisoned before the initiation of the parachute descent<br />

phase.<br />

4.4.7.3 Baseline design<br />

Given the initial and final altitude and velocity constraints and the properties of the disk-gapband<br />

parachute, sizes and masses for the parachute system can be obtained. The total nominal<br />

parachute area required to obtain the necessary deceleration is 4384 m 2 . This is divided among<br />

four parachutes to be closer to the maximum area per parachute constraint. The total design<br />

therefore consists of 4 main parachutes, each with a nominal area of 1096 m 2 and a nominal<br />

diameter of 37.4 m.<br />

An additional, backup parachute of the same design as the main parachutes is also included in<br />

the design. This parachute will be deployed in the event that one of the main parachutes fails.<br />

The descent of the vehicle from parachute opening to rocket firing is reshown in the following<br />

figures that show the altitude and velocity versus time. The terminal velocity of 100 m/s is not<br />

quite reached at the altitude of 2 km, but it is sufficiently close to be acceptable for the rocket<br />

system.

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