
NASA Tests LDSD 'Flying Saucer' - JacobH
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/5808990
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donpdonp
From
[http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/tdm/ldsd/](http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/tdm/ldsd/)

# Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator (LDSD)

As NASA plans ambitious new robotic missions to Mars, laying the groundwork
for even more complex human science expeditions to come, the spacecraft needed
to land safely on the red planet's surface necessarily becomes increasingly
massive, hauling larger payloads to accommodate extended stays on the Martian
surface. Current technology for decelerating from the high speed of
atmospheric entry to the final stages of landing on Mars dates back to NASA's
Viking Program, which put two landers on Mars in 1976. The basic Viking
parachute design has been used ever since -- and was successfully used again
in 2012 to deliver the Curiosity rover to Mars.

NASA seeks to use atmospheric drag as a solution, saving rocket engines and
fuel for final maneuvers and landing procedures. The heavier planetary landers
of tomorrow, however, will require much larger drag devices than any now in
use to slow them down -- and those next-generation drag devices will need to
be deployed at higher supersonic speeds to safely land vehicle, crew and
cargo. NASA's Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator (LDSD) Technology
Demonstration Mission, led by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena,
Calif., will conduct full-scale, stratospheric tests of these breakthrough
technologies high above Earth to prove their value for future missions to
Mars.

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brownbat
Description:
[http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/tdm/ldsd/](http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/tdm/ldsd/)

Seems to be trying to figure out how to save fuel by relying on atmospheric
drag to rapidly decelerate on descent to, say, Mars with extremely heavy
payloads.

News conference:
[http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/48346813](http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/48346813)

"Current technology for decelerating from the high speed of atmospheric entry
to the final stages of landing on Mars dates back to NASA's Viking Program,
which put two landers on Mars in 1976. The basic Viking parachute design has
been used ever since -- and was successfully used again in 2012 to deliver the
Curiosity rover to Mars."

Viking program:
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viking_program](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viking_program)

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fjarlq
Intro video specifically about this test:

LDSD: The Great Shakeout Test For Mars

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YwSXAba6Ik](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YwSXAba6Ik)

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malkia
Is this Mark Adler - one of the author of zlib? According to this it looks
like it's him:
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Adler#Mars_Exploration_Rov...](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Adler#Mars_Exploration_Rover_mission)

~~~
Intermernet
Yes, that would be him, he's amazing. He not only works on making Mars
habitable, he's also partly responsible for the most popular image format on
the web today.

Full respect.

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geerlingguy
The video feed is raw, no commentary and little editing, just FYI. If you want
to figure out what's going on, you need to read up on background info and also
listen for 10-20 minutes :P

As of 4:32 EST, it looks like a live video feed should start coming from the
vehicle soon (within minutes), but timelines are changing every few minutes. I
think the parachute deployment is still on schedule for 4:51 EST.

[Edit: There are now commentators, so it's a bit easier to figure out what's
going on and follow the progress.]

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ortusdux
Here is a timeline of the test:
[http://www.nasa.gov/jpl/ldsd/pia18451/](http://www.nasa.gov/jpl/ldsd/pia18451/)

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torrance
Looks like the parachute failed to deploy cleanly.

~~~
ddunkin
You can watch the air density as it falls, it was so still at the highest
altitude.

~~~
Intermernet
Tell ya what, In KSP I'd have waited another 30 seconds or so to deploy that
'chute... But I don't work for NASA, and that's probably why not :-)

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neoveller
Does anyone know why the live footage looks like it was taken using a security
camera from the 80s?

~~~
Intermernet
Didn't you know that all "space" footage is actually from a government
sponsored set where they invented chroma-key compositing? Kubrik was in on all
of it. Take my word for it...

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TeMPOraL
I have a distinct feeling that someone really tried to make the acronym spell
"LSD".

Speaking of which, does anyone here know how acronyms are created at NASA? Is
it by committee or does someone just make a name that kind of sticks?

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phusion
Damn, headline isn't NASA Tests LSD In Flying Saucer.

Maybe next time.

