Describes the challenge of rapid descent and automated deployment of main parachute for the Pegasus Mission to near space.

1. The Pegasus Mission
Pegasus II Descent and Landing

2. The Challenge of Descent
• The craft must be signaled to release its delivery system (balloon) from the ground.
• The delivery system must cleanly separate from the craft and deploy a small drogue
parachute to keep the craft upright during high velocity descent.
• The craft will descend at the rate of its terminal velocity from 100,000 feet to 12,
000, i.e., falling 88,000 feet very at high speed.
• The telemetry sent from the craft during descent is used to compute the altitude of
the craft 90 seconds into the future. The process that performs these calculations
running in Microsoft Azure Data Center, i.e., cloud process.
• The cloud process must trigger a command to be sent to craft to release the main
parachute at 12,000 feet.
• The main parachute must deploy cleanly and softly to save the craft from destruction.
• The craft lands gently and we collect the onboard video and instrumentation and live
to fly again.

3. 4 Phase Flight Operation

4. Phase 1 – Apex Ascent
• Pegasus II reaches goal altitude
• 100,000 ft
• Delivery System is operational

5. Phase 2 – Delivery System Release DSR
• The DSR command is sent to the craft
from the cloud
• The craft separates from the delivery
system
• Telemetry from craft confirms the DSR
execution
• The drogue parachute deploys cleanly
with bridle attached to payload

6. Phase 3 – Rapid Descent (HALO Drop)
• The craft accelerates to 305 mph in rarified air on
the drogue and begin decelerating from that
point.
• The 2’ drogue parachute cleanly deploys
• The drogue is bridled to the craft
• The deployment bag (D-Bag) that houses the
main parachute is also attached to the drogue
and the payload
• No tension exists between the drogue and the D-
Bag
• The craft falls 88,000 feet on the drogue at its
terminal velocity

7. Phase 4 – Main Parachute Deployment
• The Main Parachute Deployment
command is sent from the cloud
to the craft at 12,000 feet.
• The drogue is separated from the
craft and is now putting tension
on the D-Bag.
• The D-Bag moves up releasing the
main 7’ parachute.
• The D-Bag continues pulling the
main up, cleanly deploying the
main parachute.
• Speed decreases from 23 m/s to 5
m/s for landing.

8. Logistics
• Launch Site : Cheyenne WY
• Launch Date: Week of September 7th
Pegasus II
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