Progress of study on impact attenuation capability of airbag cushion system

Airbag cushion systems offer an attractive means for spacecraft soft landing and heavy airdrop delivery. Based on different attenuation principles and airbag configurations, airbag cushion systems are classified into three types: non-vented airbag; vented airbag and hybrid airbag. Working principles and attenuation properties of each type airbag are demonstrated. Some problems involved in the use of each type airbag are also examined in this paper. It is shown that by actively controlling the venting according to the landing scenario, the hybrid airbag can further enhance performance of cushion airbags. On the other hand, analytical models and numerical simulation methods for airbag cushion system are summarized. In order to improve performance of the airbag cushion system, it's essential to optimize the design of the airbag system. At last some recommendations are made for further research.