LDSD

Nasa has announced the successful test flight of its low-density supersonic decelerator (LDSD).

The project was aimed at evaluating new landing technologies for future Mars missions.

The test was conducted off the coast of the US Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii on 28 June.

A high-altitude balloon pulled the flying saucer-shaped craft 120,000ft over the Pacific Ocean, and splashed down in the sea after the engineering test flight concluded.

Nasa Jet Propulsion Laboratory LDSD project manager Mark Adler said: "The test vehicle worked beautifully, and we met all of our flight objectives. We have recovered all the vehicle hardware and data recorders and will be able to apply all of the lessons learned from this information to our future flights."

"We have recovered all the vehicle hardware and data recorders and will be able to apply all of the lessons learned from this information to our future flights."

The latest test was the first of three planned for the LDSD project. Although the test was designed to determine the flying ability of the vehicle, it deployed two new landing technologies, which will be officially tested in the next two flights.

JPL LDSD principal investigator Ian Clark said: "Because our vehicle flew so well, we had the chance to earn ‘extra credit’ points with the supersonic inflatable aerodynamic decelerator (SIAD).

"All indications are that the SIAD deployed flawlessly, and because of that, we got the opportunity to test the second technology, the enormous supersonic parachute, which is almost a year ahead of schedule."

The SIAD is a doughnut-shaped first deceleration technology that deployed during the flight.

According to Nasa, the new space technology will facilitate delivery of the supplies and materials required for long-duration missions to Mars.

Image: Nasa’s LDSD is lifted aboard the Kahana recovery vessel. Photo: courtesy of Nasa/JPL-Caltech.

Defence Technology