• Sigmatics
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    7 months ago

    “In the design plans for the system, the word ‘main’ was used inconsistently between the device that sends the electric signals, and the device that receives the signals,” NASA said in a written statement. "On the signal side, ‘main’ meant the main parachute. In contrast, on the receiver side ‘main’ was used as a reference to a pyrotechnic that fires to release the parachute canister cover and deploy the drogue.

    “Engineers connected the two mains, causing the parachute deployment actions to occur out of order,” NASA said.

  • silencioso@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    It always fascinated me how, something apparently as simple as a parachute, is so hard to do well. We can operate a fucking drone flying repeatedly on the surface of other planet but we struggle to open a piece of cloth.

    • Sigmatics
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      7 months ago

      Metal and plastic is easy, controlling cloth is hard