LAUSR

The Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator (LOFTID) mission was the culmination of two decades of research and development for Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD) technology. With its unique 6m diameter inflatable heat shield, LOFTID was a first-of-a-kind orbital reentry flight and the largest blunt body atmospheric entry of any kind. On November 10, 2022, the LOFTID aeroshell endured the harsh environments of atmospheric reentry while exhibiting stable aerodynamics through the entire spectrum of hypersonic, supersonic, transonic, and subsonic flight. The demonstration confirmed the HIAD technology structural and thermal performance as the aeroshell protected the 1100 kg Reentry Vehicle (RV) entering Earth’s atmosphere at 8 km/s, reaching Mach 30, and experiencing 9.5 g deceleration before deploying parachutes and gently splashing down in the Pacific Ocean, where it was recovered in excellent condition. This mission further demonstrated the viability of HIAD technology to deliver large payloads safely and accurately through an atmosphere via a controlled entry, descent, and landing. Whereas LOFTID was indeed a first-of-a-kind flight for an inflatable heatshield, its performance made it likely that it will not be the last of its kind.