NASA Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator test 3.30am AEST Sat 6 Jun 2015 live

[gary]

A test of NASA's Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator (LDSD) project is
scheduled for Saturday morning at 3:30am AEST.

The LDSD system is being tested for its suitability to soft-land payloads
onto Mars and other planets.

The test will take place over the island of Kaui in Hawaii and the LDSD
will be initially carried aloft by a balloon to 120,000 feet before rockets fire
and boost it to an altitude of 55 miles.

It will then be traveling at Mach 3.8.

At that point the saucer-shaped aeroshell will inflate the
Supersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (SIAD) system
around its circumference to slow it to Mach 2.5.

A mammoth parachute designated the Supersonic Disk Sail Parachute
will then deploy for hopefully a soft landing in the Pacific.

The event will be streamed online here -
http://www.ustream.tv/NASAJPL2

More details about the mission here -
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/06/nasa-ldsd-test-mars-landing-tech/

Videos and other information here -
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=37724.0

[pluto]

Thanks for the post Gary,
The last one was amazing so I'll definitely be tuning into this one :)

[glend]

I will set my alarm to watch this test. Hope they have onboard cameras.

[barx1963]

There has been lot of interest about this here in Hawaii this week. I gather it has been delayed.

Malcolm