NASA tests sensor-equipped supersonic parachutes for safer Mars missions

Questions and answers: 

What is the purpose of NASA’s EPIC parachute research project? NASA’s EPIC (Enhancing Parachutes by Instrumenting the Canopy) project aims to improve the performance and reliability of supersonic parachutes used in planetary missions by testing flexible sensors embedded in the parachute canopy.

How do the sensors used in the EPIC project work? The sensors are designed to measure strain without interfering with parachute function. They provide real-time data during test flights to validate computer models and inform future designs.

Who is leading the EPIC research and where is it based? The EPIC team is led by NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, Calif., with support from Ames Research Center and Langley Research Center.

EDWARDS, Calif. - National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) researchers are conducting a series of flight tests to improve the reliability and safety of supersonic parachutes used in Mars missions by outfitting them with flexible, nonintrusive sensors.

Led by the EPIC (Enhancing Parachutes by Instrumenting the Canopy) team at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center, the tests aim to gather data to refine parachute performance models. In a June demonstration, a quadrotor drone dropped a test capsule that successfully deployed a parachute embedded with strain-measuring sensors. As expected, the sensors did not interfere with the parachute's function and also provided valuable performance data.

"Reviewing the research flights will help inform our next steps," said EPIC project manager Matt Kearns. The team is now working on temperature testing, data analysis, and future instrumentation while engaging with potential partners to explore broader applications.

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The effort is part of NASA's Entry Systems Modeling project, funded by the agency's Space Technology Mission Directorate and based at NASA's Ames Research Center in California. The parachute and capsule system was developed by NASA Langley Research Center in Virginia, while interns at NASA Armstrong helped integrate a test version for flight.

Initially, the project focused on identifying and bonding commercial flexible sensors. The ongoing work could also benefit other industries, such as aerospace and auto racing, by improving high-speed parachute systems.

NASA Armstrong's EPIC team develops and tests advanced sensor systems to monitor and improve the performance of supersonic parachutes, especially for planetary missions. By integrating flexible, strain-measuring sensors directly into parachute canopies, the team collects real-time data during test flights to validate computer models, enhance safety, and support future Mars landings.