Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD)

Technology to deliver people, and their associated large payloads, safely to Mars is being developed and tested right now. Engineers are working to overcome the challenges of landing heavier cargos than ever before on other planets, and as well as returning things to Earth, using a Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD) technique. The Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator, or LOFTID, will demonstrate the next generation of HIAD technology. Learn more about the latest in NASA