NASA launches a giant air mattress into space (7 photos + 1 video)

Next month, NASA will launch a huge inflatable a heat shield similar to a flying saucer that will help people land safely on Mars. Flight tests of an inflatable moderator (LOFTID) in low Earth orbit are scheduled for November 1st.





At first glance, these images can be mistaken for footage from a sci-fi blockbuster. But depicted on them an object that looks like a flying saucer is quite real and must be launched NASA into space next month. Flight test inflatable moderator in low Earth orbit (LOFTID) are scheduled for 1 november. During the tests, a huge heat shield.



Once in space, the screen will inflate before descending back to Earth. NASA hopes the test will demonstrate how an inflatable a heat shield can slow down a spacecraft enough to he was able to survive re-entry. If the test is successful, This technology, scientists say, will one day allow people to safely land on Mars.





When landing on space objects with an atmosphere, including Mars, Venus, Titan and Earth, one of the key issues is delivery of heavy goods. In its current form, the protection of rigid aerodynamic objects is limited by the size of the rocket casing - its streamlined protective shells. Space lovers will surely remember the "seven minutes of fear" when NASA's Perseverance rover used a parachute to descend on the surface of Mars last year. Radio signals sent from NASA and on the contrary, it takes 10 minutes to establish contact, so after the ground crew ordered the rover to descend, it took took control and made the journey all alone. The spacecraft swept through the atmosphere of Mars, moving with speed of 19,000 kilometers per hour, after seven minutes reduced the speed to zero and, to relief, safely sank to the surface.



While Perseverance survived the descent unscathed using a simple parachute, the landing process is more complicated for larger useful cargo such as rockets with people on board. Their scientists do not want expose to such risk. “One of the solutions is an inflatable an aerodynamic shell that can be deployed to scale is much larger than the protective housing of the rocket, ”explained at NASA.



According to experts, the new technology allows the safest possible carry out missions to destinations such as Mars, Venus, Titan, as well as return ships to Earth.



When a spacecraft enters the atmosphere, the aerodynamic resistance helps slow it down. However, the atmosphere of Mars is much less dense than that of the Earth, which creates great difficulties for aerodynamic braking. "The atmosphere is dense enough to provide some resistance but too thin to slow down spacecraft as fast as in the Earth's atmosphere," explained the NASA. The solution to the problem should be a large inflatable heat shield a screen that acts like a giant brake. heat shield 6 meters thick will be deployed in the upper atmosphere, which will allow the spacecraft to decelerate earlier, while experiencing less intense heat.



On November 1, NASA will demonstrate the technology for the first time in low Earth orbit.

The heat shield will be launched into space aboard the United rocket Launch Alliance Atlas V together with the meteorological satellite JPSS-2, which will operate in polar orbit. Once JPSS-2 reaches its orbit, the heat shield will inflate and be transferred to reentry trajectory from low earth orbit to test it the ability to slow down and withstand reentry.

If the test is successful, it could be decisive for help NASA achieve the ambitious goal of launching humans on Red planet in the next decade. "This technology can support landing crew and large robotic missions to Mars, as well as return heavier payloads to Earth,” NASA added.