Simulations of the Capsule Parachute Assembly System (CPAS) for Orion descent and landing are anchored to reconstructed flight test data. At the completion of the drop test program, all 25 Engineering Development Unit (EDU) and Qualification flight tests were reconstructed using improved techniques to provide a common set of parameters for Monte Carlo predictions. Multiple data sources are evaluated to augment the reconstruction based on knowledge of inherent measurement errors. Parameters to describe the test data are successively approximated, from initial inspection eventually to comprehensive simulations. Automation was employed to enhance precision and reduce subjectivity. Data from analogous parachutes are combined with appropriate modifications to provide the highest possible statistical significance of the resulting probability distributions. Inflation parameters are examined in multiple dimensions to restrict Monte Carlo dispersions to within physically possible combinations close to observations.
展开▼
