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Kistler Completes Parachute Testing
Kirkland, Wash. - June 25, 1998 - Kistler Aerospace Corporation announces another major step toward completion of the world's first reusable launch vehicle � the Kistler K-1. On Tuesday, Kistler successfully completed a key phase of its parachute drop tests, a six-parachute cluster, believed to be one of the largest canopy deployments in the world, to simulate the safe return of the first stage K-1 vehicle following separation and return to the launch site. �We�re very pleased that Kistler Aerospace now holds the record in deploying the world�s largest parachute system ever,� said Robert Wang, chairman of Kistler Aerospace. �This achievement moves Kistler one-step closer to launch.� The Kistler K-1 is a two-stage reusable launch vehicle that separates prior to orbit, requiring landing mechanisms for both stages. The six-parachute cluster is designed to support the landing of the first stage, the Launch Assisted Platform (LAP). The six parachutes total 2.6 acres of canopy material that are attached to extension lines that total approximately 22.25 miles in length. An instrumented payload weighing 40,000 pounds, near the estimated weight of Kistler�s first stage, was dropped from an aircraft flying at an altitude of 10,000 feet above the Yuma Proving Grounds in Yuma, Ariz. Twelve seconds into flight, the cluster of parachutes were deployed, allowing the object to touch down safely. �The success of this test today is another important step toward the success of the K-1 Launch Vehicle,� said Dr. George Mueller, chief executive officer of Kistler Aerospace. �The engineers, technicians, and staff at Irvin Aerospace continue to do an excellent job in creating a landing system for our vehicle that will be as good as the Mars Pathfinder system.� In March, a parachute deployment test was conducted to simulate the recovery of the K-1�s second stage. Three parachutes were used to return the smaller orbital vehicle to Earth. Irvin Aerospace, Inc, the largest parachute manufacturer in the world, is a designer and manufacturer of a range of parachutes, retarders, camouflage, safety and survival systems, which are used in more than 100 countries. Kistler Aerospace Corporation is the developer of the K-1 fully reusable aerospace vehicle, designed to deliver satellites to low-Earth orbit and provide a low-cost alternative to single-use launch vehicles. Kistler is a privately-funded U.S. company with corporate offices in Kirkland, Wash. and executive offices in Los Angeles.
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