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On Wednesday, NASA tested an umbrella like, foldable heatshield. NASA says the "Adaptable Deployable Entry Placement Technology" is a game changer, allowing rockets to carry heatshields far larger than the diameter of the rocket itself.
Check out a video of the tech here.
Spacecraft typically approach planets at speeds tens of thousands of miles per hour - screaming fast. Entering a planet's atmosphere at those speeds compresses atmospheric gas, creating pressure shock and generating intense heat right in front of the spacecraft. Aeroshells slow spacecraft during entry and shield them from heat. ADEPT could be key to future NASA missions that require extra-large aeroshells to protect spacecraft destined to land on the surface of other planets, all without requiring larger rockets.
Check out a video of the tech here.
Spacecraft typically approach planets at speeds tens of thousands of miles per hour - screaming fast. Entering a planet's atmosphere at those speeds compresses atmospheric gas, creating pressure shock and generating intense heat right in front of the spacecraft. Aeroshells slow spacecraft during entry and shield them from heat. ADEPT could be key to future NASA missions that require extra-large aeroshells to protect spacecraft destined to land on the surface of other planets, all without requiring larger rockets.