PARACHUTE OPENING SHOCK LOAD LIMITING SYSTEM

THERE IS A NEED TO SHAPE THE OPENING SHOCK FORCE-TIME PULSE OF A PERSONNEL PARACHUTE IN ORDER TO OBTAIN MAXIMUM DECELERATION WITH A MINIMUM PROBABILITY OF INJURY TO AN EJECTEE. ANALYSIS OF THE BIODYNAMICS OF PARACHUTE OPENING WILL BE USED TO ESTABLISH A MAXIMUM TOLERABLE DECELERATION. DESIGN CRITERIA INCLUDING THE NEEDED STROKE AND FORCE-DISPLACEMENT CURVE WILL BE DEVELOPED. TWO METHODS OF LOAD LIMITING WILL BE STUDIED. ONE INVOLVES THE USE OF DEVICES WITH CONTROLLED STROKE TO ACT AS ENERGY ABSORBERS. THE SECOND PERMITS CONTROLLED DIS-REEFING OF THE PERSONNEL PARACHUTE BASED UPON THE FORCE EXERTED ON THE RISERS. THE TWO METHODS WILL BE STUDIED AND COMPARED. TESTS WILL BE CONDUCTED ON DEVELOPMENTAL HARDWARE, AND THE RESULTS INCORPORATED INTO ANALYTICAL STUDIES. A RECOMMENDATION FOR A PREFERRED LOAD LIMITING SYSTEM WILL BE PROVIDED AT THE END OF THE PROGRAM.