Recovery
“Dare mighty things”
Teddy Roosevelt
The Recovery team within the THRUST student project is tasked with ensuring the safe return of the rocket after its mission, focusing primarily on the design of the parachute ejection system. This system is engineered to deploy at precise moments during the descent, utilizing advanced mechanisms to eject the parachute reliably and at the correct altitude. The team designs and tests these mechanisms to ensure the parachute deployment is smooth and rapid, preventing any damage to the rocket during reentry and landing. Their design takes into account various factors such as air pressure, altitude, and descent velocity to optimize recovery.
Beyond design, the Recovery team plays a crucial role in planning and executing a full-scale test campaign to validate the parachute system. To simulate real-world conditions, the team uses drone deployments at high altitudes, releasing test vehicles that mimic the rocket’s descent profile. These tests allow the team to gather data on parachute performance, ensuring that the deployment system operates flawlessly under different conditions. By carefully analyzing these results, they refine the system to improve reliability and minimize the risk of failure during actual launches.
The test campaign is essential for both fine-tuning the parachute system and ensuring the rocket’s safe recovery after missions. The team’s attention to detail and rigorous testing protocols are crucial to building confidence in the ejection system’s ability to operate under extreme conditions. Their work not only protects the rocket for reuse but also contributes to the overall success and sustainability of future missions by ensuring safe landings after every launch.