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Author
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Topic: Were Apollo CM parachutes reused?
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Obviousman
Member Posts: 438
From: NSW, Australia
Registered: May 2005
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posted 02-05-2011 04:24 AM
   
My brother-in-law asked this question tonight, and I have no idea. Were the Apollo command module parachutes reused? I suspect not due to salt water contamination but would like to check.
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Lou Chinal
Member Posts: 1332
From: Staten Island, NY
Registered: Jun 2007
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posted 02-05-2011 06:36 AM
As far as I know, no.The primary objective was to recover the crew and the CM. |
SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 4494
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 02-05-2011 07:48 AM
Saltwater contamination was an issue (for the minority of parachutes actually recovered, the canopies were left to languish in their recovery bags until they were returned back to JSC for inspection at which point a fresh-water wash-down was applied). Even subsequent to the wash-down there is evidence of corrosion on some of the ferrous components of the risers. There are examples on my canopy and deployment bag of (less then 2-3 cm diameter) splotches where remnants of small still very toasty ablated pieces of heatshield impacted as they detached off the CM in the slipstream. And while they nylon used during the chute's construction is elastic, there is a a limit at which the deformation is permanent and the material will not return to its original size and shape. During packing (via ram compression) through extraction/ deployment, the canopy and riser lines were subjected to very high dynamic loads which cycled the nylon through its elastic modulus. Throw in abrasion (during extraction) and in many instances lines getting severed during recovery and it becomes apparent why North American/NASA didnt seriously entertain chute recycling. |
moorouge
Member Posts: 2458
From: U.K.
Registered: Jul 2009
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posted 02-05-2011 09:59 AM
Up to and including Apollo 15 wasn't there the possibility of contamination from the fuel dump? This was judged to be one of the causes for the failure of a chute on that mission. After '15' the fuel dump was deleted from pre-landing activities. |
SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 4494
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 02-05-2011 10:36 AM
Yes - however it was an anomalous event (subsequently resolved with a procedural change) and not something factored into consideration for chute reuse. |
MikeSpace
unregistered
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posted 02-05-2011 02:10 PM
Not sure how accurate but I brought up the two chutes thing to Al Worden. He told me two things: - Difference in rate of descent was around four feet per second.
- When whatever was purged [RCS fuel? Nitric acid and Hydrazine?] the Command Module floated down in the cloud of nasty stuff long enough to damage the remaining chutes. He may have mentioned lack of wind during descent under chutes as contributing factor.
All mistakes mine. Except Al's, or course. [rimshot] |
Lou Chinal
Member Posts: 1332
From: Staten Island, NY
Registered: Jun 2007
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posted 02-05-2011 03:43 PM
As a note the SRB parachutes are reused. Keep in mind the SRB parachutes are NOT man-rated. |
Obviousman
Member Posts: 438
From: NSW, Australia
Registered: May 2005
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posted 02-06-2011 02:26 AM
Thank for all the replies - ain't this place great? |
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