My parachute did not deploy. How can I fix this?

There are several things that can cause recovery system failures:

A. Nose cone doesn’t come off. Possible problems include:

1. Too much recovery wadding or recovery wadding that is packed too tightly.
2. Parachute/streamer binds in the body tube because it was not packed small enough. When preparing the recovery system before launch, the parachute/streamer should slide easily into the body tube.
3. Engine falls out of rocket before ejection charge is initiated because the friction fit engine mount didn’t hold it in. Add tape around the engine to make a tighter fit.
4. Nose cone is too tight. Sand the nose cone’s shoulder. It should slide easily into the body tube. Also check that parts of the shock cord or shroud lines are not caught by the nose cone.

B. Parachute/streamer fails to open. Possible problems include:

1. Cold weather — Plastic wants to stay in its confined shape when cold. Pack the system just prior to launch.
2. Hot/humid weather—This causes the plastic to stick to itself. Dust with baby powder before packing.
3. Insufficient amount of recovery wadding or wadding crumpled too tightly. Heat from the ejection charge melted the recovery system causing its failure.