What are the differences in the atmosphere of the Red Planet compared to Earth – The shield will be recovered from the Pacific ocean in two days
NASA has successfully completed the first launch of the inflatable heat shield that will land humanity on the planet Mars.
The low-Earth orbit flight test of an inflatable decelerator, or LOFTID, was launched by a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
LIFT OFF! The final @ULALaunch Atlas V rocket to soar from @SLDelta30 is on its way to deliver two separate missions to Earth orbit: #JPSS2 and #LOFTID. pic.twitter.com/Kg5Cns0Dwt
— NASA (@NASA) November 10, 2022
The mission was to test the technology needed to land humans on Mars for crewed missions or larger robotic missions to Venus or Saturn’s moon Titan.
LOFTID reached low Earth orbit, which is less than 1,200 miles from Earth’s surface, at 4:49 a.m. EST at supersonic speeds. It inflated and began its descent back to Earth at 6:34 AM. EST.
Moments years in the making for the team at @NASA_Langley: See the #LOFTID @NASA_Technology demonstration splash down in the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii. The data from this inflatable heat shield test will help us land more massive missions, and explore further. pic.twitter.com/PzARsfhC9P
— NASA (@NASA) November 10, 2022
The mission was originally set for November 1, but was delayed due to a faulty rocket battery. The battery was then replaced and tested again for the new release date.
The shield is expected to be recovered by the Kahana II craft in two days from the Pacific Ocean east of Hawaii, where it made a soft landing thanks to its parachute.
Her hope NASA for the mission is to be able to use the heat shield as a brake to slow the spacecraft as they enter the Martian atmosphere. When a rocket enters an atmosphere, aerodynamic forces help slow it down before landing.
However, the challenge is greater for a spacecraft landing on Mars because the atmosphere is significantly less dense than Earth’s. The atmosphere in Mars it’s thick enough to have some drag to slow it down, but too thin to slow a spacecraft down any sooner. So extra help is needed. LOFTID will create more drag in the upper atmosphere to help a rocket decelerate faster and prevent overheating.
Sensors on the heat shield will record its experience during its descent, and cameras are set to take video of the mission, said Joe Del Corso, project manager LOFTID at NASA’s Langley Research Center.
LOFTID was launched along with another separate mission – the Joint Polar Satellite System-2, or JPSS-2, a polar satellite to improve weather forecasting. The satellite is designed to collect data to help predict extreme weather events.
Read the News today and get the latest news.
Follow Skai.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news.
I have worked in the news industry for over 10 years. I have a vast amount of experience in covering health news. I am also an author at News Bulletin 247. I am highly experienced and knowledgeable in this field. I am a hard worker and always deliver quality work. I am a reliable source of information and always provide accurate information.
