Down? We Asked a NASA Technologist

To slow down, spacecrafts have traditionally used rigid heat shields and retropropulsion. However, a new technology using inflatable heat shields is being tested by NASA. This technology could allow us to carry larger payloads to worlds with atmospheres. The Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator (LOFTID) will demonstrate the effectiveness of this technology in slowing down and surviving atmospheric entry. LOFTID will be launched on Nov. 1 along with NOAA's JPSS-2 mission using a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.