parachute
Sign in to savethumb|upright=1.35|Paratroopers deploying their parachutes during an exercise
AI overview
A parachute is a device designed to slow down a person or object falling through the air, allowing them to descend safely to the ground. It matters because it enables activities like skydiving and military operations, and serves as a critical safety tool for aircraft emergencies.
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Article
27 sectionsContents
- History
- Middle Ages
- Early Renaissance
- 17th to 19th centuries
- Eve of World War I
- World War I
- Post-World War I
- Types
- Round
- Cruciform
- Pull-down apex
- Annular
- Rogallo wing
- Ribbon and ring
- Ram-air
- Varieties
- General characteristics
- Parachute opening
- Safety
- <!-- Section linked from [[Paratrooper]] --> Malfunctions
- Uses
- Traveling with a parachute
- See also
- References
- Sources
- Further reading
- External links
thumb|upright=1.35|Paratroopers deploying their parachutes during an exercise
A parachute is a device designed to slow an object's descent through an atmosphere by creating drag or aerodynamic lift. It is primarily used to safely support people exiting aircraft at height, but also serves various purposes like slowing cargo, aiding in space capsule recovery on Earth, landing spacecraft on other planets, and stabilizing vehicles or objects. Modern parachutes are typically made from durable fabrics like nylon and come in various shapes, such as dome-shaped, rectangular, and inverted domes, depending on their specific function.