NASA’s C-130 Plays Crucial Role in Successful Parachute Airdrop Test for Boeing Starliner

In a significant development for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program and Boeing, a NASA C-130 cargo aircraft, managed at Wallops Flight Facility’s Aircraft Office in Virginia, provided aerial delivery support for a successful commercial crew parachute airdrop test on January 9, 2024, at the U.S. Army’s Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona. The test involved a modified parachute system for Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, which required a demonstration under stressed conditions to certify successful deployment.

During the demonstration, the Wallops C-130 team deployed a 27,000-pound payload, consisting of the Parachute Compartment Drop Test Vehicle and Mid-Altitude Deployment System, from an altitude of 13,000 feet. The team coordinated and timed their efforts with U.S. Army UH-60s and a NASA AFRC B-200 aircraft to capture photos and video documentation of the mission.

The Wallops C-130 team has supported 16 successful commercial crew parachute airdrop tests since 2018. For more information, visit nasa.gov/wallops.

This test marked an essential step towards ensuring the safety and reliability of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, which is being developed to transport crew to and from the International Space Station. The successful deployment of the parachute system will contribute significantly to the progress of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

NASA’s mission is to explore the unknown in air and space, innovate for the benefit of humanity, and inspire the world through discovery. The successful parachute airdrop test is a testament to the organization’s commitment to these goals.