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NASA Forced to Postpone Launch of Mars-Bound Flying Saucer

The space vehicle was supposed to launch on June 2

Jun 5, 2015 14:50 GMT  ·  By
A representation of the Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator
   A representation of the Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator

Towards the end of May, US space agency NASA announced that, come June 2, it would test a new-generation space vehicle that might one day help deliver astronauts to Mars. 

Well, it's June 5 now and the space vehicle, dubbed the Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator, is yet to take to the skies. Instead, it's sitting around waiting for the weather to clear and for NASA scientists to launch it.

Apparently, the space agency hopes that it will finally send its Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator on its long-awaited flight test sometime tomorrow. Whether this will actually happen remains to be seen.

“Mission managers have postponed Friday’s, June 5, Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator launch due to unstable wind conditions near the surface that would prevent the launch of the balloon.”

“NASA will evaluate the next available launch opportunity, Saturday, June 6,” the space agency writes in a post. Well, fingers crossed and let's hope tomorrow will be the day the craft launches.

As illustrated in the image accompanying this article, NASA's Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator looks like a seriously oversized donut. A donut weighing about 7,000 pounds (3,175 kilograms), that is.

The space agency wants to use such a vehicle to slow the descend of astronauts and cargo on Mars, and make sure that they reach the surface safe and sound. Plainly put, the vehicle is designed to create drag and slow spacecraft.

The space adventure that may or may not play out tomorrow, June 6, is intended to show whether or not the Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator has what it takes to survive a trip to the Red Planet and do its job protecting crew and cargo.