Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD)

A 3.7M Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD) test article drew people into the NASA Exhibit at the Intrepid in New York City May 27-31 during the World Science Festival. HIAD is a new inflatable heat shield technology funded by NASA’s Game Changing Develeopment Program that would allow for extra mass to be takeninto the Mars atmosphere.