NASA preps flying saucer ballocket flight

NASA has announced it's poised to do an airborne test of its Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator (LDSD) - a test platform for technologies that may one day safely deposit larger payloads on the surface of Mars. The LDSD at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Pic: NASA/JPL The LDSD flying saucer at NASA's Jet Propulsion …

[Elmer Phud]

Bound to fail

Not a single mention of a brave Playmonaut!

[Lester Haines]

Re: Bound to fail

Exactly. NASA is missing a vital mission component here.

[Elmer Phud]

and anyway . . .

. . . I keep reading it as LSD

[Kevin Johnston]

Hmmm

Watch out El Reg...the headhunters could soon be circling the SPB

[Peter Simpson 1]

Re: Hmmm

SPB's hoping for a buyout.

[Graham Dawson]

Re: Hmmm

Well that isn't going to happen. If they want to be bought out they should develop a simple messenger app backed on to, I don't know, a website where you can make playmobil reconstructions, and market it as the next big thing to 15 year-olds wanting to send pictures of their naughty bits to one another.

They'll never get there experimenting with novel technologies. It just gets in the way, you know?

[Francis Boyle]

A website where you can make playmobil reconstructions

sounds pretty damn good. O, the joys of being fifteen again.

[John Brown (no body)]

Re: Hmmm

"SPB's hoping for a buyout."

They already tried an accidental flotation but it sunk with all hands.

[Return To Sender]

Balls

So, these inflatey bubble things; once they've splashed down, and assuming it was used for a manned flight, does that mean the 'nauts then get to walk the bubble back to base? I just can't get the picture out of my head...

[mccp]

Ballocket???

Surely it's a Rockoon?

Working on the definition that a Ballocket is first balloon-like on the way up followed by rocket-assisted ascent, rather than rocket-assisted ascent followed by balloon-assisted descent?

I'll get my coat.

[Lester Haines]

Re: Ballocket???

Not so, sir, and by your own reckoning: balloon, followed by rocket = ballocket. Sounds better, anyway.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Ballocket???

Balloon ascent, rocket ascent, balloon descent

Isn't that a Ballocketoon?

[Lester Haines]

Re: Re: Ballocket???

You've got confused here - the NASA thing is a ballockechute.

[HeyYou]

Re: Ballocket???

I will meet you half-way, Ballocketute - sounds better

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Ballocket???

Bollocket?

[Bluewhelk]

Re: Ballocket???

Given the flight sequence perhaps that should be a Ballockoonshute .....splash

[Dr Who]

Inflatable balloon that goes like a rocket, but with high endurance, and delivers a large payload at the end of it all. Hmmm.

[frank ly]

I watched the video

I'd like to have my time over again and be a NASA engineer. It looks like FUN!! (Then again, I'd probably be on the team that analyses the results and prepares spreadsheets and graphs for middle management meetings; then have to double check and justify the budget projection figures. Reality has always bitten me.)

[Scroticus Canis]

Mach in Earth's or Mars' atmospheres?

Would that be the speed of sound in our or Mars' atmosphere? Mach speeds vary by height (pressure and temperature) so how fast in metres per sec are we talking? What is Mach 1 at sea level on Mars? OK ground level will do :)

[Hurn]

Re: Mach in Earth's or Mars' atmospheres?

"Sea Level" on Mars is known as "0 datum" or "topographic datum".

Since multiple disciplines are involved, there's another name: areoid.

[Anonymous Coward]

Time for some Latin

Hey, 'Scroticus Canis' - you're the 'dog's Ballockets', aren't you!

[Malc]

Re: Mach in Earth's or Mars' atmospheres?

Having asked this question before, I've found answers:

http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/atmosphere/q0249.shtml

Hope that helps :-)

[TWB]

Supersonic parachutes?

Don't weird things happen at supersonic speeds - a parachute might make it fall faster!

(I'd add an appropriate icon if I was allowed....)

[Wzrd1]

Re: Supersonic parachutes?

Indeed they do, hence the shape that is reminiscent of the old Apollo heat shield.

The tricky part is slowing it down to a rather pedestrian mach 2ish, for coming in around mach 20+ is an energetic event.

[Palf]

I get the LSD bit...

[Anonymous Coward]

Patents...

Does this not infringe on some LOHAN patent or other?

You must sue, its the responsible thing to do.

[Lester Haines]

Re: Patents...

Agreed. It would be churlish not to, really.

[Stephen 24]

Questions

So they're going for the launch of the rocket "after release" - how will they get it to point up? (presumably without the use of a fantastical flying truss(tm))

How much does a rocket that can go from 120000ft to 180000ft, can travel at mach 3.5 and carry an inflatable decelerato saucer weigh? How big a balloon will that need??