NASA’s Successful Launch, Deployment, and Retrieval of LOFTID – An Innovative Inflatable Heat Shield - SciTechDaily

On the greeting of November 10, an Atlas V rocket launched JPSS-2, NOAA’s newest biology outer into orbit. Hitching a thrust connected the rocket was NASA’s Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator (LOFTID). This ngo demonstrated a cross-cutting aeroshell — a benignant of vigor shield — for atmospheric re-entry.

For destinations with an atmosphere, 1 of the challenges NASA faces is however to present dense payloads (experiments, equipment, and people) due to the fact that existent rigid aeroshells are constrained by a rocket’s shroud size. One reply is an inflatable aeroshell that tin beryllium deployed to a standard overmuch larger than the shroud. This exertion enables a assortment of projected NASA missions to destinations specified arsenic Mars, Venus, and Titan arsenic good arsenic instrumentality to Earth.

When a spacecraft enters an atmosphere, aerodynamic forces enactment upon it. Specifically, aerodynamic resistance helps to dilatory it down, converting its kinetic vigor into heat. Utilizing atmospheric resistance is the astir mass-efficient method to slow down a spacecraft.

NASA’s Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator, oregon LOFTID, is demonstrating a cross-cutting aeroshell — a benignant of vigor shield — for atmospheric re-entry. This animation features ngo highlights for the motorboat of NASA’s cutting-edge entry, descent, and landing technology: Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator (LOFTID). Credit: NASA

The ambiance of Mars is overmuch little dense than that of Earth and provides an utmost situation for aerodynamic deceleration. The ambiance is heavy capable to supply immoderate drag, but excessively bladed to decelerate the spacecraft arsenic rapidly arsenic it would successful Earth’s atmosphere. LOFTID’s ample deployable aeroshell — an inflatable operation protected by a flexible vigor shield — acts arsenic a elephantine brake arsenic it traverses the Martian atmosphere. The ample aeroshell creates much resistance than a traditional, smaller rigid aeroshell. It begins slowing down successful the precocious reaches of the atmosphere, allowing the spacecraft to decelerate sooner, astatine higher altitude, portion experiencing little aggravated heating.

LOFTID is demonstrating a ample aeroshell — 6 meters successful diameter oregon astir 20 feet — introduction from low-Earth orbit, to show this exertion successful conditions applicable to galore imaginable applications. The benefits of utilizing the inflatable decelerator plan for a assortment of abstraction applications include:

• Low-Earth orbit return; escaped flyer, in-space manufactured materials [3 to 6-meter scale]
• International Space Station down wide greater than presently imaginable [8 to 12-meter scale]
• Lower outgo entree to abstraction done motorboat conveyance plus betterment [12-meter scale]

The inflatable decelerator exertion is scalable to some crewed and ample robotic missions to Mars.

On November 10, the launch, deployment, and betterment of LOFTID and its data capsule were successful. Now scientists indispensable measure the information captured during the trial to larn astir the results.

Here is the blow-by-blow recounting of the events connected November 10, opening with liftoff astatine 1:49 a.m. PST:

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Joint Polar Satellite System-2 (JPSS-2) satellite, with NASA’s Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator (LOFTID) exertion objection on for the ride, lifted disconnected from Space Launch Complex-3 astatine Vandenberg Space Force Base successful California this morning, Nov. 10! Powered by 860,000 pounds of thrust from the United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 rocket’s RD-180 engine, motorboat occurred astatine 1:49 a.m. PST.

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The United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 rocket exceeded the velocity of dependable astir a infinitesimal into the flight, and soon thereafter reached Max-Q – the infinitesimal of maximum dynamic unit connected the rocket. Next up is the booster motor cutoff, followed by the separation of the archetypal and 2nd stages of the rocket.

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Booster motor cutoff occurred connected time, the archetypal and 2nd stages separated arsenic planned, and the Centaur 2nd signifier main motor has started its burn. The payload fairing that protected the JPSS-2 outer during the archetypal minutes of ascent has jettisoned arsenic expected. The 2nd signifier main motor volition pain for conscionable implicit 12 minutes, taking the spacecraft towards the Equator and to low-Earth orbit.

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United Launch Alliance’s Centaur precocious signifier has successfully powered connected the LOFTID re-entry vehicle, kicking disconnected the LOFTID ngo sequence. About 2 minutes aft powerfulness on, Centaur released the payload adapter that had connected JPSS-2 to the rocket’s precocious stage.

Limited information volition beryllium received real-time during the exertion demonstration. Other milestones are notional fixed the ngo timeline and sequence.

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Aeroshell ostentation has started. Once the aeroshell reaches 4 pounds per quadrate inch (psi) of pressure, Centaur volition statesman positioning LOFTID for re-entry.

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After orienting LOFTID to an acceptable separation angle, Centaur spun up and released the re-entry vehicle. Spinning astatine 3 rotations per infinitesimal keeps the LOFTID conveyance unchangeable and pointed successful the close passim re-entry.

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At this time, the aeroshell should person reached a afloat ostentation unit of 19 psi. LOFTID is lone sending constricted real-time information during the demonstration. Full data, including confirmation of the last ostentation pressure, volition beryllium confirmed aft landing and recovery.

LOFTID is present coasting toward the ambiance and re-entry is expected to commencement successful astir 25 minutes.

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The squad was capable to visually corroborate afloat ostentation of the re-entry vehicle. LOFTID is present estimated to beryllium astatine astir 78 miles successful altitude, the constituent the LOFTID squad considers the commencement of atmospheric re-entry.

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Over the past fewer minutes, LOFTID’s thermal extortion strategy should person reached maximum re-entry heating, and the inflatable operation should person reached maximum re-entry unit load.

LOFTID is lone sending constricted real-time information during the demonstration. Full data, including the maximum heating and unit load experienced, volition beryllium confirmed aft landing and recovery.

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According to the team’s predictions, LOFTID should person slowed down to Mach 0.7 — from a maximum velocity of Mach 29 — marking the extremity of the objection and information collection. As LOFTID approaches splashdown successful astir 16 minutes, the ejectable information module volition jettison and the parachute volition deploy.

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Teams confirmed the ejectable information recorder was jettisoned and they person received GPS information connected its location. LOFTID’s parachutes are expected to person deployed, preparing LOFTID for splashdown successful little than 10 minutes.

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LOFTID has splashed down successful the Pacific Ocean hundreds of miles disconnected the seashore of Hawaii. Once the aeroshell’s determination is determined, the betterment vessel volition caput toward the aeroshell for attempted retrieval. Following retrieval, the squad volition retrieve the ejectable information recorder.

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The LOFTID squad has visually confirmed the vigor shield’s splashdown successful the Pacific Ocean. Splashdown occurred a fewer minutes aboriginal than primitively thought based connected the expected ngo timeline.

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LOFTID landed adjacent to the betterment ship. After assessing the situation, the unit aboard the Kahana-II person begun mentation for betterment operations, which volition bring LOFTID aboard the vessel. NASA volition station updates connected the betterment process and the results of the objection arsenic much accusation becomes available.

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Team members successfully retrieved the LOFTID vigor shield from the Pacific Ocean connected Thursday morning. With the vigor shield connected board, the betterment vas volition adjacent caput to retrieve LOFTID’s ejectable information module, which contains a backup of the objection information that is besides stored connected the vigor shield.

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The LOFTID squad successfully retrieved the mission’s ejectable information module from the Pacific Ocean connected Thursday morning. The information module resembles a ample lemon and holds a backup transcript of the information recorded during LOFTID’s demonstration. Another transcript of the information is stored aboard the vigor shield itself, which was already recovered by the team.

The betterment vas volition present marque its mode backmost to port. The LOFTID squad volition analyse the recorded information and inspect the vigor shield to measure however the exertion performed. Additional updates volition beryllium provided arsenic available.

NASA’s Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator (LOFTID) is dedicated to the representation of Bernard Kutter – a manager of precocious programs astatine United Launch Alliance (ULA) who championed lower-cost entree to abstraction and technologies to marque that a reality. LOFTID is simply a concern betwixt NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate and ULA to show an inflatable aerodynamic decelerator, oregon aeroshell, exertion that could 1 time assistance onshore humans connected Mars.

Since NASA’s inception successful 1958, the bureau has relied heavy connected rigid aeroshells (a protective ammunition composed of a vigor shield and a backmost shell), parachutes, and retro-propulsion (rockets) to decelerate people, vehicles, and hardware during orbital entry, descent, and landing operations. The LOFTID objection is poised to revolutionize the mode NASA and manufacture present payloads to planetary destinations with atmospheres.

After much than a decennary of improvement of Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD) technology, including 2 suborbital formation tests, the LOFTID orbital formation trial is the adjacent step. This instrumentality from orbit objection provides an introduction situation applicable to galore imaginable applications, paving the mode for its usage connected aboriginal missions. The LOFTID re-entry vehicle, astatine 19.7 feet (6 meters) diameter, volition beryllium the largest blunt assemblage aeroshell to ever spell done atmospheric entry.

When a spacecraft enters an atmosphere, aerodynamic forces – similar resistance – enactment upon it, slowing it down and converting its kinetic vigor into heat. Using atmospheric resistance typically is the astir mass-efficient method to dilatory down a spacecraft. Since HIAD exertion is larger than accepted aeroshells, it creates much resistance and starts the deceleration process successful the precocious reaches of the atmosphere, allowing not lone heavier payloads, but besides landing astatine higher altitudes. It could additionally beryllium utilized to bring an unprecedented magnitude of wide backmost from low-Earth orbit, including items from the International Space Station. Another important imaginable payment is enabling the betterment of rocket assets for reuse which tin trim the wide outgo of entree to space.

The HIAD plan consists of an inflatable operation that maintains its signifier against the resistance forces, and a protective flexible thermal extortion strategy that withstands the vigor of reentry. The inflatable operation is constructed with a stack of pressurized concentric rings, oregon tori, that are strapped unneurotic to signifier an exceptionally beardown blunt cone-shaped structure.

The rings are made from braided synthetic fibers that are, by weight, 10 times stronger than steel. A flexible thermal extortion strategy insulates the rings from the searing vigor of atmospheric entry; LOFTID tin withstand temperatures successful excess of 2900°F (1600°C). It’s constructed with 3 layers: an exterior ceramic fibre cloth furniture to support integrity of the surface, a mediate furniture of insulators to inhibit vigor transmission, and an interior furniture that prevents blistery state from reaching the inflatable structure. The flexible thermal extortion strategy is besides foldable, packable, deployable, and tailorable. Because it is flexible, it takes up little country successful the rocket and allows the plan to beryllium scalable.

LOFTID is managed by the agency’s Langley Research Center successful Hampton, Virginia, with contributions from assorted NASA centers: Ames Research Center successful Silicon Valley, California; Marshall Space Flight Center successful Huntsville, Alabama; and Armstrong Flight Research Center successful Edwards, California. NASA’s Launch Services Program, based astatine the agency’s Kennedy Space Center successful Florida, managed today’s launch.