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NASA Tests Heaviest Chute Drop Ever

Iddo Genuth writes "NASA and the US Air Force have successfully tested a new super-chute system aimed at reclaiming reusable Ares booster rockets. On February 28, 2009 a 50,000-pound dummy rocket booster was dropped in the Arizona desert and slowed by a system of five parachutes before it crashed to the ground. The booster landed softly without any damage. This was possibly the heaviest parachute drop ever, and NASA is planning to perform even heavier drops of up to 90,000 pounds in the next few months."

22 of 226 comments (clear)

  1. Re:1 Question by quenda · · Score: 4, Funny

    When will America start using SI units as the standard?

    In NASA's case, it would take something big to make them see sense. Like, say, loosing a major space probe.

  2. Re:Cool - now how much ... by whong09 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Cool? Try hot. As in dropping it like it's hot.

  3. Re:1 Question by bakes · · Score: 5, Funny

    Here we have a situation where a single large country - with too much power and inertia in these matters - is pointedly ignoring what the rest of the world is doing, and forcing the use of an arcane, unwieldy, incompatible standard on the rest of us.

    Thank goodness this sort of thing doesn't happen in the IT industry.

    --
    Ho! Haha! Guard! Turn! Parry! Dodge! Spin! Ha! Thrust!
  4. Re:Astroid Net? by phantomfive · · Score: 5, Funny

    Those asteroids are probably too infrequent to bother planning for.

    That's it. You've just chosen our doom.

    --
    Qxe4
  5. Thank you NASA! by Morkalin · · Score: 5, Funny

    Maybe someday I'll be able to take up skydiving after all!

    1. Re:Thank you NASA! by Lord+Lode · · Score: 4, Funny

      Your mom will.

  6. "Pounds don't mean anything to me" by macraig · · Score: 2, Funny

    Yeah, but when you use an alias like Karganeth you're Totally speaking a language I understand! Now I have to go dig my Orcone out of his storage pen and take him for a run in the dog park....

  7. Re:1 Question by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    It's a shade over 6428 stone. If you have problems visualising that, imagine 918 weaklings or 357 burly rugby players. Which is 17 teams (with substitutes) composed entirely of loosehead props.

    Better?

  8. How many libraries of congress? by definate · · Score: 4, Funny

    Seriously, this is a useless measurement, it's way over things I know about. I need it in something practical, like how many libraries of congress is it?

    --
    This is my footer. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
  9. Re:1 Question by nickgrieve · · Score: 5, Funny

    Metric, motherfucker, do you speak it?

  10. Re:1 Question by c6gunner · · Score: 5, Funny

    Here we have a situation where a single large country - with too much power and inertia in these matters - is pointedly ignoring what the rest of the world is doing, and forcing the use of an arcane, unwieldy, incompatible standard on the rest of us.

    Sheesh, you Esperanto guys just never give up ...

  11. Heaviest chute drop? by GodfatherofSoul · · Score: 3, Funny

    My first thought was that this had something to do with the new waste recovery system. Ever since the Pizza Hut pastas came out, I've been a ready and willing contributor of test samples.

    --
    I swear to God...I swear to God! That is NOT how you treat your human!
  12. Re:Cool - now how much ... by Hal_Porter · · Score: 5, Funny

    Well over 350,000 pounds Boeing 767 so don't get any ideas.

    Planes would probably break up as well. Great that you attached to the mid section but you'll probably loose either the front 3rd or the rear as the thin cabin torsions apart.

    If you could guarantee the front third would survive it would help sell business class tickets in these troubled times.

    --
    echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
  13. Re:1 Question by Hal_Porter · · Score: 5, Funny

    An American pint is actually a copy of a British pint in 1707. The British later changed over to Imperial in 1824.

    We had a choice between Liberty and More Beer. I'm still not sure we chose wrong.

    --
    echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
  14. Re:1 Question by somersault · · Score: 4, Funny

    I believe the unit was standardised on the weight of Winston Churchill's right testicle.

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    which is totally what she said
  15. Re:1 Question by MichaelTheDrummer · · Score: 3, Funny

    285ml Glass
    - Known as a either a pot or a middy, depending on what state you're in, in all states of Australia except for SA
    - SA calls this glass a Schooner

    425ml Glass
    - Called a Schooner everywhere except for SA
    - Called a pint in SA, except for in Irish pubs

    570ml Glass
    - Called a pint everywhere in Australia, except for SA
    - Called an Imperial Pint, or IP in SA, except in Irish pubs where it is just a Pint.

    And there you have it.

  16. Re:1 Question by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    You're right. We should take the example of, say, England, where I drive at the national speed limit of 60 mph, for 30 minutes, using two gallons of gas (sorry, petrol) that I bought, to take me to the pub, where I order a pint of beer, causing me to gain yet another half a stone in weight.

    Oh, never mind.

  17. Well, which is it, young feller? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Reminded me of this quote from Raising Arizona.


    "Well, which is it, young feller? You want I should freeze or get down on the ground? Mean to say, if'n I freeze, I can't rightly drop. And if'n I drop, I'm a-gonna be in motion. You see... "

  18. One of the rules by Gilmoure · · Score: 2, Funny

    11. Everything is air-droppable at least once.

    -Seven Rules of Highly Effective Pirates

    --
    I drank what? -- Socrates
  19. Re:Astroid Net? by davolfman · · Score: 2, Funny

    Better than a marshmallow man, right?

  20. Re:Astroid Net? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    this is why we need rocket motors on the moon to adjust the orbit and make it act as a shield.... movie rights on their way.

  21. Re:Cool - now how much ... by idontgno · · Score: 2, Funny

    "For $79 more we can try EXTRA-HARD not to kill you in-flight."

    Thanks, I'll walk.

    --
    Welcome to the Panopticon. Used to be a prison, now it's your home.