Deceleration system for Space capsule Recovery Experiment

Paper number

IAC-08.D2.6.8

Author

Mr. purushothaman p, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Trivendrum, India

Coauthor

Mr. santhosh j nalluveettil, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Trivendrum, India

Coauthor

Mr. radhakrishnapillai r, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Trivendrum, India

Coauthor

Mr. subramoniam a, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Trivendrum, India

Year

2008

Abstract

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducted its first reentry mission by recovering the Space capsule Recovery Experiment (SRE) from Bay of Bengal, on 22nd January 2007. A deceleration system was designed to initiate at 5 km altitude for bringing down the velocity of descending SRE capsule from nearly 100 m/s to safe levels at splash down. The deceleration system comprised of a two-stage parachute system with pilot, drogue and main chutes; container for housing parachutes, pyro devices and a triggering unit for issuing commands for sequential deployment of parachutes. The entire system was configured as a modular assembly and located centrally near the base of capsule. The parachutes were housed in a metallic container that is closed by a lid made of lightweight composite material. The parachute container provided interfaces for the parachute attachment, pyro devices and baro sensors.  A slab of low density ablative bonded on the lid of container protected the parachutes from re entry heating.

Extensive functional tests were carried out to qualify the pilot parachute deployment system and the pilot-drogue-main sequencing. Slug gun–pilot chute-drogue chute sequencing tests were carried out in Rail Track Rocket Sled (RTRS) and the total system functioning was qualified by air drop tests from aircraft and helicopter.  The deceleration system performed well in the SRE mission. The parachute deployment time and capsule deceleration at parachute opening measured in flight matched closely with the predictions based on air drop test results. 
The paper briefly describes the deceleration system design for SRE, various development & qualification tests carried out and the challenges faced during the development programme. 

Abstract document

IAC-08.D2.6.8.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-08.D2.6.8.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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