To understand the forces acting on the spacecraft during its landing, we need to clarify the roles of gravitational force and the forces exerted by the parachute.
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Weight of the Spacecraft: The spacecraft has a weight of 6.1 million pounds, which is the force due to gravity acting downward towards the Earth.
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Thrust Resistance: During the descent, the spacecraft initially re-enters the atmosphere, and if the rocket engines were still firing, they would produce thrust opposing gravity. However, in the context of landing with a parachute, we’ll focus primarily on the forces at play after thrust is no longer a significant factor.
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Parachute Deployment: When the parachute deploys, it creates an upward force (air resistance) which acts to slow down the descent of the spacecraft.
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Force Summary:
- Gravity (Weight): Downward force of 6.1 million pounds.
- Lift from the Parachute: Upward force created by the parachute, which resists gravity.
Correct Interpretation of the Forces
- The parachute creates an upward force that counteracts the downward force of gravity.
- The correct statement that describes the forces in action during the landing is:
The parachute’s upward force resists gravity’s downward force.
This means that as the parachute opens, it slows the descent of the spacecraft by generating lift that counteracts the force of gravity.