Parachute- deployed to slow down the descent of the payload as it travels back down to Earth.
Here is the parachute I will be using to land the payload safely back down to Earth!
The parachute is made by Spherachutes. Visit them here: http://spherachutes.com/
‘A Spherachute is hemispherical in design. Its 3-D shape makes inversion of the ‘chute nearly impossible and it has less opening shock then a conical ‘chute. Spherachutes are made with 1.9 oz. ripstop fabric, to prevent tearing. All panels are sewn together using a 4 thread serge stitch, for extra reinforcement.’
I made sure to choose a chute that would be suitable for the payload descent by figuring out the chute size against the weight of the payload.
There are possibilities that the balloon may not burst completely, leaving debris around the payload increasing the weight and therefore, the descent.
The parachute will be deployed with our friend, gravity. On the way up, it will be pulled taught by the balloon ascending whilst also, supporting the payload. When the balloon bursts, air will rush up into the canopy of the chute and force it to expand and pull against the payload descent.
We’re so close now! I’ve just got to buy the 2 x camcorder (hopefully coming soon) and then we can start the testing stage.
We have a month to cover all the tests needed, which should hopefully enable us to launch by the end of August.
Hope you’re enjoying the blog so far! Please spread the word about it. 
As we’re only at the beginning of the design and build process, we may encounter problems or decide to change the design based on other factors. We’ll try to keep everyone updated on the changes and will explain why we have done so.
Please leave a comment or if I have missed any vital information, let me know and I’ll edit it!
Twitter
LinkedIn
Youtube
RSS