A CH-47 Chinook helicopter lifts a parachute drop test vehicle to an elevation of 10,000 feet above a Yuma, Ariz., test range as part of a series of tests that will aid in development of the booster recovery system for NASA's Ares I crew launch vehicle.
The tests collected performance data on a pilot parachute, the first to be unfurled in a three-stage recovery system for the Ares I first stage booster. The system includes a pilot, drogue and three main parachutes.
The pilot parachute was packed and mounted inside the drop test vehicle, which also provided the weight and velocity required to simulate the desired test "load" experienced during deployment and descent. In addition, instruments and a recorder were mounted inside the test vehicle to record performance data during descent. (NASA)
