ESA recently conducted a successful parachute test for the ExoMars Mars lander, crucial for slowing its descent. Earlier failures in 2019 raised concerns about potential delays, but the parachute system was qualified in 2021. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine caused ESA to rethink its collaboration with Russia. A 2024 agreement with NASA aimed to advance the project amid budget concerns. The parachute test involved a drop from 30 km, confirming the reliability of a two-stage system featuring a 15m and a 35m parachute for the mission.
The parachute test involved dropping a dummy ExoMars descent module from an altitude of almost 30 km, and the parachutes were successfully deployed.
In 2019, a drop of the 35m parachute from about 35km resulted in a test failure, raising concerns about potential delays.
The main parachute system consists of two stages: a 15m parachute and a 35m parachute, the latter being the largest ever to deploy over Mars.
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