Founded 1938 | Parent organization Zodiac Aerospace | |
Pioneer Aerospace Corporation is one of the world's largest aerodynamic deceleration manufacturers. Pioneer has designed and manufactured parachutes and parafoils for numerous NASA missions.
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History
Pioneer Aerospace Corporation began production in 1938. In 1988, Pioneer become a part of Zodiac's Aerosafety Systems Group. Pioneer's main factory and distribution centers are located in Columbia, Mississippi and South Windsor, Connecticut. The company is one of the largest aerodynamic deceleration manufacturers in the world.
NASA
Pioneer Aerospace Corporation has designed and manufactured recovery systems for numerous NASA missions, including: the Galileo probe, the Space Shuttle, the Mars Pathfinder missions, the Genesis solar-sample mission, the Stardust Comet Intercept Probe, and the Mars Exploration Rovers. In 1999, Pioneer manufactured, at the time, the world's largest parafoil (7,500 square ft.) for the X-38 Crew Return Vehicle, an emergency return capsule for the crew of the International Space Station.