Quote from: douglas100 on 07/08/2012 04:48 pmthat was only a sounding rocket flightI am not an aerodynamicist, but reentry from a sub-orbital trajectory is not necessarily easier than reentry from LEO. (AIUI this is one of the issues that can lead to "black zones" for some ascent trajectories.) If the descent is too steep the vehicle gets to thicker atmosphere with high velocity, whereas if the descent is nearly circular the vehicle can lose enough velocity in thin upper atmosphere and survive the thick atmosphere heating.
that was only a sounding rocket flight
Orbital is considering this technology for Cygnus down mass return."WALLOPS ISLAND, Va. -- A large inflatable heat shield developed by NASA's Space Technology Program has successfully survived a trip through Earth's atmosphere while travelling at hypersonic speeds up to 7,600 mph".http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2012/jul/HQ_12-250_IRVE-3_Launch.html
So the question becomes is this more economical than a traditional ablative system. Seems to be pretty heavy - also how much volume would it take up - To return a Cygnus capsule intact. I understand that weight inside the capsule/ module matters - but let's just pick a reasonable weight for the stuff that normally wants to be returned from the ISS. We have some pretty good data from the shuttle days with the Logistics modules.
The HIAD could give NASA more options for future planetary missions, because it could allow spacecraft to carry larger, heavier scientific instruments and other tools for exploration.
They are looking at testing on Antares 2nd stage, there wasn't a time mention but I get the impression it is with in a year or two.
The project, which is led by NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, for the Space Technology Mission Directorate, will use existing hardware and launch as a secondary payload on a cargo resupply flight to the International Space Station. The demonstration flight is targeted for September 2016 on an Antares rocket from Wallops Flight Facility on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
OK, September is right in the middle of OA-8 on 6 July and OA-9 on 17 November. Can anybody clarify this?
I'm pretty sure the HIAD info is out of date.