Ypres played a role that should not be underestimated in the safe landing of NASA’s persevering rover on Mars. A heat-resistant canopy, designed to slow the supersonic rover, is woven into a Picanol.
The parachute was tested extensively in a wind tunnel. © T. Wayne. NASA
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NASA shared the first images of the successful landing of the persistent rover on Mars Monday evening. The photos spread around the world and were studied in detail at the Ypres headquarters of the Picanol Group, where the parachute was woven before landing. “We sell thousands of textile machinery annually to clients in more than 100 countries, but this is the first: Picanol’s first space project,” says company spokesman Frederick Dreiwell. Heathcoat Fabrics Limited, a UK-based Picanol Group customer, was selected by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to design and manufacture the canopy. To weave the parachute, Heathcoat turned into Picanol. “We have the most advanced machines in the world for such technical tasks,” says Dryhoel. “We have a long client relationship with Heathcoat, as Picanol is also looking for the best textile job solution.” Braking: The canopy is woven by OptiMax-i. The “New Standard in Sword Weaving” can be read in a brochure from Picanol. “The fabric of the canopy is woven with such a machine, but also the fabric of the airbags, sails, and bulletproof vests. This machine is a state-of-the-art machine located with us in Ypres. The high-quality fabric is woven specifically for NASA. The canopy should be heat-resistant and lightweight while slowing down the vehicle’s speed.” Ranger from 20,000 to 320 kilometers per hour. ”“ The parachute has a diameter of 21.5 meters and must be fired with a cannon until it can open barely 0, 7 seconds. Before launch, the parachute was tested in the largest wind tunnel in the world. Our engineers enjoyed the follow-up landing last week and took part eagerly. NASA’s first photo of the parachute landing last Monday evening. “This pride will only grow when NASA soon finds a sign of life on the red planet. “We are really proud of our ability to contribute to such an important mission to Mars from a small angle in Belgium.” (TP)
