NASA successfully ended three rounds of trials of promising inflatable aerodynamic braking shield. This is one of the key parts of future unmanned vehicles, which will land on the different bodies of the Solar system.

Inflatable shield successfully passed the first tests (left).

In the framework of the ambitious project Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator Project, NASA test innovative inflatable heat shield and new brake parachute. Due to its low weight and small dimensions, the new device will allow to increase the payload of future space missions. In parallel to NASA's plan to improve the safety and precision.

In present is conducted the active range trials large inflatable shield SIAD-R diameter slightly less than 8 m SIAD-R are accelerated to speeds of several hundred kilometres per hour with a rocket truck. During the tests simulated loads on 25% above that of the time of descent to the surface of Mars. Already held three successful tests, which indicate that fragile at first glance inflatable design theoretically capable to protect the spacecraft, flying in the atmosphere at supersonic speeds. In line tests 33-meter parachute. The first flight tests of the SIAD-R and parachute at supersonic speeds will take place in 2015, and by 2018 new devices will be used for Mars missions.

SIAD-R is an inflatable construction, which is inflated at the time of entry into the atmosphere and protects the spacecraft from the stream of incoming air and high temperatures. The main advantage of SIAD-R is much less during the flight. Inflatable shield less prevents the designers of the spacecraft, because unlike normal "hard" shield allows you to place scientific equipment practically around the perimeter of the machine.

Braking by using the new technology will be as follows: first, the lander will slow down a large inflatable ball and inflatable shield, which will reduce the speed up to 2 M, Then it will take 33 supersonic parachute, which will reduce speed to subsonic. Inflatable ball and shield planned in two sizes: 6 and 9 meters Above all, the new system is intended for promising heavy probes.