The idea has some theoretical merit to it, but the math doesn't add up at all when you run the numbers. The size and strength of the parachutes you would need w

The idea has some theoretical merit to it, but the math doesn't add up at all when you run the numbers. The size and strength of the parachutes you would need would be massive. Much bigger than anything today. Don't forget you also need to bring up the parachutes and somehow attach them to the iss in a way where the stress of the deceleration won't snap the iss in half (hint: not possible). I think this is better demonstrated as a smaller scale thought experiment. Consider the various space capsules over time, from Mercury & Apollo all the way through to dragon. They all use parachutes, but not until late in the landing process. That's because they all use the upper atmosphere as a method of slowing down, and they can't use a parachute up there because, again, the numbers don't work.