DESCENT SPACE VEHICLE Russian patent published in 1997 - IPC

FIELD: space engineering; placing in operation parachute system of descent space vehicle. SUBSTANCE: descent space vehicle includes case with thermal-protective coating, parachute container with parachute system, parachute container cover, parachute container cover separation system and case with auxiliary parachute. Parachute container cover is made in form of ring on bottom portion of case with central port whose diameter does not exceed half outer diameter of cover. When separation system operates, parachute container cover separates from case of descent space vehicle in direction of incoming flow (along central longitudinal axis of descent space vehicle) with no substantial disturbances in descent space vehicle attitude. Symmetrical form of parachute container cover provides for its stable motion in flow and its lightened version (due to lesser thickness of thermal-protective coating in bottom portion of descent space vehicle case and central port) provides for higher rate of separation of parachute container cover. EFFECT: enhanced reliability of withdrawal of case from parachute container and placing parachute in flow. 1 dwg