Recovery parachute

Recovery chute deployed

The parachute must perform well under different atmospheric densities and descend speeds. Shroud lines should be tangle free and widthstand significant horizontal jet-stream winds that are expected in lower stratosphere (tropopause).

To meet these requirements a we will use a commercially available x-shaped chute with four shroud lines.

The parachute specifications: 

• Diameter - 1.52 m

• Tear-resistant - All seams are reinforced with nylon webbing.
  

• Strong - 12 mm MIL-spec tubular nylon (635 kg tested) all around the canopy.
  

• Lightweight - 35 g silicone-coated low-porosity ripstop nylon.

• No Tangle Design - only four suspension lines, Swivel for tangle-free descents.  

Recovery chute in actual high-visibility mission colors

Emergency cut-off device (ECD) 

The nearspacecraft will be equipped with ECD that allows controlled termination of flight ascend phase by releasing the platform and payload. ECD will be utilized during the flight if significant safety issues are detected, the flight path is expected to cross country borders or there is a hardware malfunction.

Inclusion of the ECD unit is also recommended by the FCAA (Finnish Civil Aviation Authority) in guidelines for unmanned free-flying aircrafts.