Even the pros get launch fever. Dohh!
On Thu, Nov 7, 2019 at 7:16 PM Gregory Lyzenga <lyzenga@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I guess it can happen to the best of us…
https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/11/07/boeing-identifies-cause-of-chute-malfunction-continues-preps-for-first-starliner-launch/
Boeing identifies cause of chute malfunction, preps for Starliner launch
Boeing engineers have identified what caused one of the capsule’s three
main parachutes to not deploy Monday.
“The root cause was a lack of secure connection between the pilot chute
and the main chute lanyard,” Mulholland said. “By design, the pilot
parachute fires out through a mortar, and once that pilot parachute
inflates, it actually pulls the main parachute out. But that lack
of adequate connection didn’t allow the pilot parachute to pull out the
main parachute.”
Mulholland said engineers quickly identified the problem after reviewing
close-out photos of the parachutes, and through inspections of hardware
recovered after Monday’s pad abort test in New Mexico.
“The pilot chute has has a Kevlar riser with a loop at the end of it,”
Mulholland said. “The linkage is a pin, so a pin would normally be inserted
into that loop and secured. That linkage and the pilot parachute riser
(are) enclosed in a sheath, a protective sheath that prevents abrasion. So
it’s very difficult, when you’re connecting that, to verify visually that
it’s secured properly.
“In this particular case, that pin wasn’t through the loop, but it wasn’t
discovered in initial visual inspection because of that protective sheath,”
Mulholland said. “It was subsequently … determined by both detailed
close-out photos and then, obviously, when we recovered the hardware in the
field, were able to conclusively tie those two pieces together.”
So far, Boeing has confirmed the linkages between the next spacecraft’s
pilot and main parachutes were all connected correctly. Ground teams are
now verifying all parachute connections are properly secured before its
scheduled launch next month on an unpiloted test flight to the
International Space Station, Mulholland said.
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Gregory A. Lyzenga <lyzenga@xxxxxxx>
Dept. of Physics, Harvey Mudd College (909) 621-8378
Claremont, CA 91711-5990 mobile (626) 808-5314
