Karman Wins Role Building Mars Parachute System for JPL

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) selected Karman Space & Defense to develop the parachute deployment system for the upcoming SkyFall mission to Mars. The mission-critical hardware, called a mortar, will deploy a parachute to slow the spacecraft as it enters the Martian atmosphere.

This is Karman’s first system designed specifically for a Mars mission. SkyFall aims to release three autonomous helicopters to study the planet’s weather and subsurface ice.

Karman did not disclose financial details. JPL’s selection of the company for this key system highlights its technical capabilities in the space and defense sector.