An Experimental Study of the Drag of Rigid Models Representing Two Parachute Designs

The flow about, and drag of, two types of parachute canopy have been examined at supersonic speeds at zero incidence, in isolation and in the presence of rigging lines,and behind bodies of revolution. The investigation has shown that the presence of rigging lines reduces the canopy drag by an extent dependent upon the length of the lines. Several different flom regimes are encountered similar to those noted during investigations with spikes on bluff bodies, including an o:cillatoqy condition when the lines are short, The presence of the body of revolution, either a cone-cylinder or a blunt cone, gives a low parachute drag when located close to the canopy. Conically rigged parachutes behind cone-cylinder of base diameter half that of the canopy 5.2.2 Cylindrically rigged Taylor parachute behind a blunted cone of same base diameter as the canopy maximum CONCLUSIONS 6.1