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NASA is testing a rotor system that could replace parachutes on spacecraft to control landing when returning to Earth’s atmosphere.

Scientists are testing the rotor blade-equipped capsules V at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

NASA engineer at Johnson Space Center in Houston Jeff Hagen said that the purpose of testing was to determine a way to make the rotor spin.

The space agency stated that the concept of replacing parachutes with rotor blades has been taken from the fact that the helicopters have much more control and stability compared with vehicles using parachutes.

"The idea of testing this system is to provide a soft landing and control to the space capsule when re-entering Earth’s atmosphere."

As a part of testing, the team used a helicopter radio-control unit to remotely alter the rotor pitch on an unpowered craft and slow descent of the capsule, which landed on a stock of foam.

Although the rotor system on the space capsule would not be powered, the air passing over it would be used to rotate the blades, a process termed as ‘auto-rotation’ that has been proven on helicopters.

The idea of testing this system is to provide a soft landing and control to the space capsule when re-entering Earth’s atmosphere.

The concept of using rotor blades to land a spacecraft was implemented in the 1990s by a Rotary Rockets company to develop Roton Rocket, single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) spacecraft.

This worked through the four rotor blades folding against the sides of the Roton Rocket being used to slow and control descent of the returning capsule.

Image: An artist’s impression of a capsule with a rotor blade system. Photo: courtesy of NASA.