Controlled recovery of payloads at large glide distances, using the para-foil.

Abstract

Recent progress of Sandia Laboratory in the development of a small guidance and control system and by the University of Notre Dame on the Para-Foil has indicated that the design of a system capable of recovering a 150-Ib payload from altitudes greater than 300,000 ft and ranges of from three to five times the deployment height (60,000 ft) is quite feasible. The Para-Foil is a completely nonrigid, self-inflating flying wing, capable of being packed and deployed like a conventional parachute and able to glide large distances. The guidance package is an electromechanical control system employing a direction-finding antenna to control the direction of the Para-Foil's glide path with respect to a ground or shipboard transmitter. The recovery system design program includes such parameters as size and weight of the recovery unit, size of the payload (W/S wing loading), glide ratio and wind structure, and flare-out capabilities in the recovery area. The full-scale recovery program includes numerous packing, deployment, and glide tests. These tests demonstrated successful deployment, excellent gliding performance (JL/D = 3.88) and dynamic flight stability, and very low impact velocities during the final recovery phases. Recent guidance and control tests also demonstrated excellent response in maneuverability of the Para-Foil. This paper summarizes the design program and the results of full-scale deployment and guided recovery flight tests and demonstrates the potential of the Para-Foil for use in many space-age recovery programs.