NASA Postpones June 6 and 7 LDSD Launch Due to Weather

Mission managers have called off a weekend launch attempt for the Low-Density Supersonic Decelerators project due to low altitude wind conditions that would prevent the launch of the balloon. NASA will evaluate the next available launch opportunity, Monday, June 8.

LDSD

NASA’s Low-Density Supersonic Decelerators (LDSD) project will attempt the second flight test of a rocket-powered, saucer-shaped test vehicle into near-space in early June from the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai, Hawaii. The LDSD crosscutting demonstration mission will test breakthrough technologies that will enable large payloads to be safely landed on the surface of Mars, or other planetary bodies with atmospheres, including Earth. These new technologies include a supersonic ballute, supersonic parachute, and a 6-meter Supersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator that will enable landing of larger payloads on Mars and allow access to much more of the planet’s surface by enabling landings at higher altitude sites.

Stay tuned here and on our social channels – @NASA_Technology, @NASAJPL, @NASA or @NASA_Marshall – for the latest.

Author: Kim Newton

NASA's Low Density Supersonic Decelerator project will be flying a rocket-powered, saucer-shaped test vehicle into near-space this June from the U.S. Navy's Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) on Kauai, Hawaii. The LDSD crosscutting demonstration mission will test breakthrough technologies that will enable large payloads to be safely landed on the surface of Mars, or other planetary bodies with atmospheres, including Earth. These new technologies will not only allow for landing of larger payloads on Mars, but also provide access to much more of the planet's surface by enabling landings at higher altitude sites. The mission continues to demonstrate how technology drives exploration on our journey to Mars, as we test these tools here on Earth right now.