Introduction

An Aircraft Ballistic Recovery System is a rocket deployed parachute that enables an aircraft that encounters problems (such as engine failure, loss of control, icing and fuel exhaustion, etc.) to gradually descend to the ground thus giving a greater chance of survival or avoidance of serious injury. This type of system has been around for a number of years and was initially used by the USA military for recovery of their unmanned airborne surveillance platforms as the equipment carried on them was expensive and classified. National Aeronautics and Space Administration also used a similar system on the command capsules of the Apollo moon missions.

A series of pictures released by NASA showing the deployment of a ballistic recovery system