NASA’s First Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator Test Flight a Success [With Full Flight Video and Highlights], NASA
“NASA representatives participated in a media teleconference this morning to discuss the June 28, 2014 near-space test flight of the agency’s Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator (LDSD), which occurred off the coast of the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii.
A high-altitude balloon launch occurred at 8:45 a.m. HST (11:45 a.m. PDT/2:45 p.m. EDT) from the Hawaiian island facility. At 11:05 a.m. HST (2:05 p.m. PDT/5:05 p.m. EDT), the LDSD test vehicle dropped away from the balloon as planned and began powered flight. The balloon and test vehicle were about 120,000 feet over the Pacific Ocean at the time of the drop. The vehicle splashed down in the ocean at approximately 11:35 a.m. HST (2:35 p.m. PDT/5:35 p.m. EDT), after the engineering test flight concluded. The test vehicle hardware, black box data recorder and parachute were all recovered later in the day.”

Marc Boucher is an entrepreneur, writer, editor, podcaster and publisher who has worked in space media for more than 25 years. In 1999 he co-founded SpaceRef with Keith Cowing. The new media company grew into a network that included NASA Watch and The Astrobiology Web. After selling SpaceRef, he joined Multiverse Media, which later merged with SpaceNews. There he helped steer the combined company toward more multimedia, a subscription paywall and intelligence products, and pushed for a mobile app. He is also the founder of SpaceQ Media, Canada’s space news and market intelligence publication.

Marc started his first Internet content business in 1992 and hasn’t looked back. When he’s not working, he loves exploring Canada and the world and expanding his photography skills.

12 replies on “LDSD Test Flight a Success”

  1. Has I understand it this tech has already been leapfrogged by powered landing.

    Ames new EDL puts D2 in to a very low mars orbit 10k above the surface so there is plenty of air to slow it down.

    This is scaleable

    Source PhilWilson @FxPhilW on tweeter

    So isn’t NASA wasting time and money working on horse and buggies when they should be doing more to help automobile tech???

    Imagine a dragon 2 with a diameter of diameter of 33 feet. How many tons could you set on mars with that

    1. Shouldn’t NASA be sending red dragon to mars in 2020 to test this new Ames EDL thing to test this powered flight profile, to move tech along?? Not doing another old fashion parachute Mars landing???

      Doesn’t Spacex have old Dragons that could be modified with Super dracos

      I don’t understand why my money is wasted on out dated ideas.

    2. More Source

      Phil Wilson @FxPhilW
      @marsbeyond look how active control systems on Dragon 2 maintains almost constant orbit altitude above Mars @ Simberg_Space pic.twitter.com/OGb4g2GqxZ

      Phil
      @marsbeyond LDSD tech developed before Ames developed D2 EDL, which eliminates need for LDSD & increased passive throw mass @Simberg_Space

      Phil
      @marsbeyond D2 enters @ 10t, lands 7t can scale up. No need for LDSD nor chutes.which add throw kgs reducing land kgs @Simberg_Space

  2. Congratulations! Engineering R&D is exactly what NASA should be doing. But this test also reminds us that large parachutes are not reliable. Look for downselection of the Orion or CST-100 capsules.

      1. Those powerpoints and animations look like a good plan that should be funded soonest to get it flying sooner to me.

  4. LDSD

    Your right Mr. Squared I know very little about LDSD. I hope the data from this test is important and useful and not a waste of time and money

    1. Yet you make statements as if you know something about LDSD, the tests, and their value. Perhaps learning should come ahead of speaking.

      1. Mr. Squared

        I just read through my remarks. I asked Questions and I gave the sources for my assertions.

        ???????????

        1. “Has I understand it this tech has already been leapfrogged by powered landing.”

          “So isn’t NASA wasting time and money working on horse and buggies when they should be doing more to help automobile tech???”

          “This is how you land on Mars.”

          No, you ask questions in a way that you can also make those questions accusations. You’re being passive aggressive. You should try objectivity, although that might require you putting down your SpaceX pom-pons, realizing that everything in space isn’t solved by DragonV2, “Red Dragon”, or a Super Draco.
          Critical thinking is a valuable tool. Try it.

          Hmmm. Now, what would be an overused, juvenile phrase to end with…….oh, I know: lol.

          1. Your Lol made me smile Mr. Squared, good use of a juvenile phrase.

            Being passively aggressive does get people to respond at times too.

            I was the first to post after about 24 hours. I was hoping to see some dialog about this test.

            All hale to Elon the Great!

            🙂

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