What is the parachute made of?
The parachute is made out of two durable, lightweight fabrics: polyester and nylon. The parachute has a triple bridle (the tethers that connect the parachute to the backshell). This bridle is made out of Kevlar, the same material used in bullet-proof vests. The materials used to make the parachute must be strong, yet lightweight enough to fit inside a very small area and to prevent excess weight within the backshell. The amount of space available on the spacecraft for the parachute is so small that the parachute must be pressure packed. Before launch, a team must tightly fold together the 48 suspension lines, three bridle lines, and the parachute. The parachute team loads the parachute in a special structure that then applies a heavy weight to the parachute package several times (like sitting on a suitcase to pack down clothes to fit inside). Before placing the parachute into the backshell, the parachute is heat set to sterilize it. Parts the work in tandem with the parachute Zylon Bri
