parachute

Also known as chute, Parachutes

thumb|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.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Wikidata facts

Image: IJA Type 1 Cargo Parachute.jpg

Show 4 more facts

exact match: wordnet-rdf.princeton.edu/wn31/103839738-n
Unicode character: 🪂
Commons category: Parachutes
MCN code: 8804.00.00

Sources (3)

via Wikidata · CC0

~43 min read

Article

27 sections

Contents

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
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.