NASA's Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator Wraps Up Second Test Flight

By Emily Carney, on June 9th, 2015

From NASA: “LDSD is proceeding toward launch. The large scientific balloon – 34.4 million cubic feet in volume, has been undoing inflation over the last hour. When launched, the balloon and the test vehicle stand at a towering 980 feet tall.” The second test of LDSD took place Monday, June 8. Photo Credit: […]

Comments are closed

NASA's Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator Test Flight Hailed as a Success

By Emily Carney, on July 1st, 2014

From NASA: “MACH 4 TO PACIFIC: Two members of the Navy’s Explosive Ordinance Disposal team perch on the test vehicle used in the first flight of NASA’s Low-density Supersonic Decelerator project. The test vehicle was fished out of the waters of the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Missile Range within hours of splashdown. During the […]

Comments are closed

Flight Test for Next-Generation Mars Supersonic Decelerator Prototype Rescheduled for June 28

By Mike Killian, on June 24th, 2014

The saucer-shaped LDSD test vehicle is seen here in the Missile Assembly Building at the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kaua‘i, Hawaii. The vehicle, part of NASA’s Low Density Supersonic Decelerator project, will test an inflatable decelerator and a parachute at high altitudes and speeds over the Pacific Missile Range this […]

Comments are closed

Meet NASA’s Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator, the Next Step in Landing on Mars

By Mike Killian, on April 21st, 2014

The LDSD test article in the clean room at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, preparing for shipment to Hawaii for its first test launch this summer. LDSD will help land bigger space payloads on Mars or return them back to Earth. Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / Robert Fisher

Anyone even remotely familiar with landing spacecraft […]

4 comments - (Comments are closed)