Early Pathfinder Airbag Testing, 1993 [photograph].

ArchivalResource

Jet Propulsion Laboratory (U.S.). Photolab. Early Pathfinder Airbag Testing, 1993 [photograph].

Early Pathfinder Airbag Testing, 1993 [photograph].

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/733106163

MESUR Airbag Testing, 8/5/1993. [Description from photo index.]. In July 1997 Pathfinder landed on Mars and the rover Sojourner began to explore the planet. Pathfinder (previously known as Mars Environmental Survey, or MESUR Pathfinder) was the first project to use airbag technology to cushion a spacecraft landing. This photo was taken in August 1993 at Sandia National Laboratory's Coyote Canyon aerial cable test facility in New Mexico. Cables were stretched between two small mountains to hoist and release this 3/8 scale airbag system prototype. These airbags, in the original 3-lobed configuration, included external burst disks (orange patches) to release pressure and reduce rebound during the landing. The burst disks were eventually eliminated when Rocket Assisted Decelleration (RAD) rockets were introduced to the system design. These tests were performed to improve the team's understanding of the challenges and risks associated with an airbag landing system. JPL and Sandia employees performed the tests. Second from right is Don Waye (a Sandia employee) and third from right is Tom Rivellini, the Pathfinder Airbag CogE, who provided the Archives with information about this photo. Others are unidentified.

Electronic file.

Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives