This Saturday is going to be a great day. We will perform the first basic test on one of the main parachutes for DIY space capsule Tycho Deep Space.
Before we get to major tests including planes and what-not, we will simply hoist the parachute and releasing system using the gantry crane at Lindoe Space Test Center and let it drop.
The three main parachutes for the capsule are 100% made by Copenhagen Suborbitals with Søren Gregersen and Mads Stenfatt as the lead guys. So I guess they are equally excited to see what will happen tomorrow when we deploy the parachutes from the crane.
The parachute is packed inside the deployment bag fitted into a frame with approximately 160 kg of ballast using sand bags inside big-bags. The frame will be dropped hitting Earth while the deployment bag is attached to the crane hopefully deploying the parachute which is attached to the frame.
The test tomorrow is only to validate how the parachute “leaves” the bag, and if possible see how the deployment works. Also, we work with sliders in this design to control the opening shock. We have brought several types of sliders as well which we will add to the parachute design during the day. In total we hope to make 3-5 drop tests.
I am very excited about this. We will go there as a large group from Copenhagen Suborbitals and make some high speed and regular video, go-pro video from the frame-drop and still images.
We will share all data, lessons learned, video and images with you later when we are back!
Cross your fingers.. I do!
Ad Astra
Kristian von Bengtson
