Flying Saucers for Mars

The article looks at the Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator, a landing technology developed by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) which could allow heavier objects to land on Mars without significant increases in fuel. It incorporates an inflatable disk insulated with Kevlar and a 30-meter parachute. It will be tested in the upper stratosphere of the Earth, which resembles the thin atmosphere of Mars.