Tag: LOFTID
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How ATMOS Space Cargo is shaping Europe’s spaceflight future through reentry capsules
As space-based research and manufacturing ramp up, a market is emerging for returning payloads to Earth affordably and reliably. European startup ATMOS Space Cargo is meeting that need with a new generation of reentry vehicles built around an inflatable heat shield. Already flight-tested, the novel system positions Europe as a serious contender in the field…
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NASA, ULA find launch opportunity for inflatable heat shield demonstrator
Artist’s illustration of the the Low Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator, or LOFTID, spacecraft. Credit: NASA A flight demonstration of an inflatable heat shield that could be used to retrieve reusable engines from United Launch Alliance’s next-generation Vulcan rocket, and for the delivery of heavier cargo to the surface of Mars, is…