Main Engine Cut Off

One major area of concern identified by McErlean involves the Crew Dragon’s parachutes, which are similar to the chutes used on SpaceX’s Dragon cargo capsule. He pointed to unspecified anomalies observed on parachutes during testing and on Dragon returns on cargo missions from the space station.

“Recent parachute testing, both using the commercial crew program qualification testing regimen and some anomalies that have been witnessed in the resupply contract, which is also handled by SpaceX, showed that there have been difficulties and problems with the parachute design,” McErlean said. “Clearly, one cannot risk crew without there being complete confidence in the parachute design.”