Contrary to what you might think, sending a rover on Mars is not the actual journey through space. It's slowing down and landing after you reach there. Mars' thin atmosphere makes it difficult to slow down using a parachute. This is why Mars missions often have large, high-tech parachutes that help rovers land gently on the red planet.Roscosmos and the European Space Agency (ESA), will send their ExoMars rover on Mars in 2022. They recently conducted a high-altitude parachute test. During the test, one of the parachutes was damaged by the pilot chute separating. In the hopes of fixing the problem before the next test, the team will review the data and make adjustments.ESA conducted two tests on the system between June 24th and 25. They used a helium balloon to lift the parachute up to 29km (18 miles) and then dropped it with a dummy descend module, which simulates the size of the rover when it lands. The parachute is divided into two sections: A first 15-meter-wide stage that opens when the vehicle is traveling at supersonic speed and a second 35-meter wide stage that slows it down further.We are very pleased to report that our first main parachute performed flawlessly. We now have a supersonic parachut design that can fly to Mars," said Thierry Blancquaert (ExoMars team leader).Blancquaert stated that the performance of the second main parachut was not perfect, but it was much better because of the modifications made to the canopy and bag. After a quick extraction from the bag, we noticed an unexpected detachment in the pilot chute during final inflation. This could indicate that certain areas of the main parachute canopy were subject to extra pressure. The tear was contained by a Kevlar reinforcement band. It was able to decelerate as expected and the descent module was rediscovered in good condition.This issue will be resolved by the team in time for the next testing phase. It is expected to occur in Oregon in October or November.Recommendations of Editors
