NASA Tests Heaviest Chute Drop Ever

Posted by kdawson on Monday March 23, 2009 @06:48PM from the not-so-fast dept.

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."

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Re:1 Question by OolimPhon · 2009-03-24 00:29 · Score: 4, Informative

An Imperial ton is 2000 lbs(pounds)
An Imperial ton is 20 cwt (hundredweight)
A hundredweight is 100 pounds
The US uses pounds because it sounds bigger IMHO
In the US, maybe. In the UK:
An Imperial Ton is 2240 lbs
A Hundredweight is 112 lbs
Sounds like the US uses small measures because it seems like things weigh more/are bigger over there.
Same goes for pints/gallons.
US pint = 16 fl. oz. UK pint = 20 fl oz. No wonder your cars get so few miles/gallon. No wonder your petrol (sorry, gas) is so cheap.