Abstract: Disclosed herein are parachute canopies and sliders for use with parachutes. The parachute canopies can include one or more deformable vent panels that can be used to control an inflation rate of the canopies based on an internal pressure within the canopies. The sliders can include strips that form through holes that have a width that distributes a radial load on suspension lines and allow for the use of lower weight, high modulus suspension lines.

Abstract: A thin film polymeric membrane is made from a plurality of adjacent sections that are bonded together along longitudinal seams taken with reference to an axis of symmetry. The membrane is reinforced laterally by a continuous helical reinforcing fiber pattern that passes the reinforcing fiber(s) a plurality of times over each of the longitudinal seams. The membrane desirably is in the shape of a parachute or balloon envelope.

Abstract: An annular spinning parachute is composed of an annular canopy symmetrical about an apex, suspension lines of substantially the same length and interconnected together at the canopy apex and extending radially outwardly therefrom across the canopy and downwardly therefrom for coupling to an object supported by the parachute, and centerlines interconnected with the suspension lines at the canopy apex and extending downwardly therefrom for coupling to the object supported by the parachute. The annular canopy includes fabric panels each having a generally trapezoidal shape defined by a pair of opposing inner and outer borders with the outer border being greater length than the inner border and a pair of opposing side borders of substantially the same length.