There is a mission to Mars underway at the moment, and NASA is proudly sending off its Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator starting at 12PM EST today.
The purpose for this send-off will be to test the craft’s spin rate through what they call a “spin table test.” This will help them determine how effective their system is and to make sure everything is working properly so that a soft landing will be possible when it does go on its Mars Mission.
The plan is to send the Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator on its Mars Mission in June of this year.
During this live streamed event, the public will have access to everything that is going on and there will also be experts available to answer any questions people may have about the project and about the spacecraft.
The Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator looks like a flying saucer of sorts and is equipped with a lot of balloons that will help blow it up to its full size. The hope is that the combination between these giant balloons and the use of other tools, such as a sky crane, will help make the soft landing on Mars more easily attainable.
A soft landing of any kind is extremely difficult to achieve. The reason is that being able to have that much control over the space craft and its landing speed is nearly impossible. By using great technological tools that are available now, NASA has the ability to exert more control over a spacecraft’s speed than ever before.
It is very possible that this Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator test could help lead NASA and other space researchers and scientists to success with other ventures when it comes to exploring the vast mysteries of deep space. The technology used on this ship is designed specifically to enable NASA to control its speed and deceleration when approaching Mars. Some of the technology that it will be equipped with will be SIAD-R, and SIAD-E, both of which are massive parachutes that will help it to land successfully.
Mars is one of our neighboring planets, found right next to us in our solar system. This planet, also known as the “red planet”, is red because of all of the gases found in the planet’s atmosphere. It was also named after the Roman god of war, presumably because of its coloration since many times red is associated with violence or bloodshed. Mars has been previously subjected to all kinds of concepts and ideas, from hosting Martians to being an actual source of life, NASA has seen it all.
The goal in sending this new Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator on a Mars Mission is to help gather crucial information about the planet as well as study its surface more thoroughly. This project, also known as the LDSD project, is one of NASA’s many undertakings as we proceed into the age of high space exploration. NASA also has other plans to continue studies for other planets, as well as our sun in the coming years. It is surely going to be a very interesting adventure to witness for all of us here on Earth.
