Parachute Broadcloth Development for use on Mars Sample Retrieval Lander

The Sample Retrieval Lander Project is the next phase in the broader Mars Sample Return campaign. Landing the heavier payloads required to deliver samples of the Martian soil to a stable orbit around Mars requires the use of a 24m Disk-Gap-Band Parachute with inflation loads of up to 100 klbf (445 kN). The increased stress in the broadcloth fabric associated with this diameter and design load for a parachute required the development of a new parachute broadcloth fabric for SRL. Working with Heathcoat Fabrics, Ltd., the Jet Propulsion Laboratory developed four candidate fabrics and tested them for their suitability for use in the flight canopy. Testing included permeability comparisons to the Mars 2020 parachute broadcloth fabric, seam efficiency testing, and dry-heat microbial reduction and packing strength loss studies. The lessons learned from the preliminary testing campaign were applied to the development of an additional candidate fabric.