KAUAI, Hawaii – NASA plans to test a flying saucer-like aircraft this month that it hopes to one day land on Mars.
“The agency is moving forward and getting ready for Mars as part of NASA’s Evolvable Mars campaign,” administrator for Space Technology at NASA Headquarters Michael Gazarik said.”We fly, we learn, we fly again. We have two more vehicles in the works for next year.”
The flying saucer, also known as the Low Density Supersonic Decelerator (LDSD), will help lay the groundwork future missions to Mars.
“After years of imagination, engineering and hard work, we soon will get to see our Keiki o ka honua, our ‘boy from Earth,’ show us its stuff,” LDSD project manager Mark Adler said. “The success of this experimental test flight will be measured by the success of the test vehicle to launch and fly its flight profile as advertised. If our flying saucer hits its speed and altitude targets, it will be a great day.”
The launch could take place June 7, 9, 11 or 14.
Click here to learn more about the project.
