Failure of the drogue parachute contributed to the accident. A drogue parachute slowed the aircraft upon landing. The frustum and drogue parachute continue on a separate trajectory to splashdown. The drogue parachute is quickly followed by the main parachute. The drogue parachute deployed on schedule at . To shorten landing distances, a drogue parachute can be deployed. The capsule's drogue parachute opened, but not its larger parachute. The drogue parachute has a design load of approximately and weighs approximately . The drogue parachute deployed shortly after this, and the main deployed at . Aborting the takeoff, the crew tried to control the "fishtailing" and activate the drogue parachute. A drogue parachute was deemed unnecessary even operating from runways as short as . At , Schirra deployed the drogue parachute, and then the main parachute at . About above the ground, a drogue parachute was to be deployed to slow descent. On arrival at this calculated position, the motor cut and a drogue parachute was deployed. To slow the descent, first the drogue parachute was deployed, followed by the main parachute.