Which factor explains why parachute ejection systems with barometric sensors might fail in flight conditions?

Which factor explains why parachute ejection systems with barometric sensors might fail in flight conditions?

• A. Aerodynamic heating
• B. Outflow venting
• C. Barometric readings drift in rapid altitude change
• D. The outside pressure distribution is not continuous around the model

Answer: (C)

Barometric sensors estimate altitude from ambient air pressure, so they assume the pressure changes smoothly as the craft climbs or falls. When the vehicle experiences rapid altitude changes, the sensor reading can lag behind the actual altitude or fluctuate faster than the control algorithm expects. This drift or lag can cause the parachute ejection system to misjudge the deployment point and either deploy too early, too late, or not at all. The other factors aren’t as directly tied to why a barometric-based deployment might fail: aerodynamic heating affects components but not the fundamental pressure reading, venting affects internal pressures rather than ambient altitude sensing, and irregular outside pressure around the model isn’t the primary cause of sensor misreadings in typical deployment logic.

Barometric sensors estimate altitude from ambient air pressure, so they assume the pressure changes smoothly as the craft climbs or falls. When the vehicle experiences rapid altitude changes, the sensor reading can lag behind the actual altitude or fluctuate faster than the control algorithm expects. This drift or lag can cause the parachute ejection system to misjudge the deployment point and either deploy too early, too late, or not at all. The other factors aren’t as directly tied to why a barometric-based deployment might fail: aerodynamic heating affects components but not the fundamental pressure reading, venting affects internal pressures rather than ambient altitude sensing, and irregular outside pressure around the model isn’t the primary cause of sensor misreadings in typical deployment logic.