NASA Delays ‘Flying Saucer,’ Launch Live Stream Reset For Thursday

NASA has delayed the launch of its Low Density Supersonic Decelerator (LDSD) test vehicle, which Internet commentators have started calling a “flying saucer” for its distinctive look. The tests are designed to work out a crucial part of America’s plan to go to Mars – landing. But, it won’t happen until conditions are perfect.

According to a NASA statement late Monday, the Tuesday launch was canceled for safety reasons.

“Mission managers postponed tomorrow’s scheduled launch of a high-altitude balloon carrying NASA’s Low Density Supersonic Decelerator (LDSD) test vehicle because of unfavorable ocean conditions. The wave height is not conducive for safe recovery operations.”

The flying saucer launch was supposed to take place off of the coast of Hawaii’s Kauai Island, where it could easily be recovered from the ocean after splashdown.

The latest from Space says it has been rescheduled for no earlier than 1:30 p.m. on Thursday. The event, assuming there are no more delays, will be live streamed on Space.

So, why a flying saucer?

NASA designed the vehicle for reentry, and the flying-saucer qualities help to reduce atmospheric drag, according to CNN. The spacecraft itself doesn’t fully take its science fiction form until a ring-shaped balloon on the bottom inflates.

The craft that was supposed to launch Tuesday is designed to test the parachute NASA is developing to gently drop human lives on Mars, not an easy task considering the atmosphere is much thinner than on Earth and the payload will be traveling at supersonic speeds. For example, the parachute for the Curiosity rover had to be about 50 feet across to (kind of) gently drop one ton of equipment, according to the Telegraph. The flying saucer’s parachute is twice that size.

NASA project manager Mark Adler explained, “What we will be looking most closely for is to see what happens when at Mach 2.35 our supersonic parachute is deployed.”

That will probably be an exciting ride for the future astronauts.

During the test, a balloon will take the LDSD to a height of 120,000 feet (about 20 miles) and then drop it. The craft’s rockets will then fire up. The vehicle will hit speeds of about Mach 4 before the balloon inflates, which will slow the craft down enough to allow it to safely deploy the parachute.

The LDSD has already undergone one successful test flight (see video below).

Overall, it has been a rocky couple weeks for space flight.

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Bill Nye’s Lightsail spacecraft ran into some troubles when it lost contact with its mission control because of a suspected software glitch. It took the vehicle, also looking like something out of science fiction, about eight days to recover its bearings and reestablish contact.

The latest from the Planetary Society, the organization sponsoring the vehicle, says it could deploy its distinctive solar sail as early as Friday.

Even though NASA’s flying saucer was delayed and the Lightsail had its own difficulties, scientists are making exciting progress to bolster the future of space flight.

[Image Credit: NASA]