M551 Sheridan Low Altitude Parachute Extraction System (LAPES) - Dropping the light tank! It's a tactical military airlift delivery method where a fixed wing cargo aircraft can deposit supplies when landing is not an option in an area that is too small to accurately parachute supplies from a high altitude or to deploy weapon systems behind enemy lines. - M. | Tanks. Being tanks.

🎥 Check this out! A series of clips from different angles and at different speeds showing parachute extraction tests using a NASA/JPL test rig powered by compressed air. The lid of the parachute assembly is pulled along a suspended cable at high speed while the end of the assembly is fixed to a wall. When the release mechanism is activated, the parachute bag is pulled away from the parachute at the target speed, mimicking the extraction as it will be on Mars. At the highest speeds, the tests en