Goal: drop test vehicle and deploy main parachute under flight conditions
- Test vehicle: 2ft, 80 lbs Pathfinder tube with parachutes, nosecone, piston (not active), and weight
- Instrumentation: cameras, load cell, pitot-static tube, flight computer for data logging and deployment
- Deployment: static line deployment for drogue, remotely activated release mechanism for main with tender descender or AAD
- Measure: deployment forces (load cell or pressure-sensitive film), verify bulkhead strength, parachute drag (altimeter & accelerometer)
- For skydiving plane:
- Need requirements from FAA and skydiving place
- Be confident that the drogue will not come loose before dropping
- Determine how long of a tether is needed for static line deployment of drogue
- Engineer how to mount weight in the nosecone, which is not designed for this load
Ideas:
- Tow behind or push out of small aircraft (preferably skydiving plane with no door)
- Launch recovery system on an instrumented rocket
- Vertical wind tunnel