NASA has problems with heat shield for Mars mission in 2020

NASA has found in tests that the heat shield developed for the Mars mission in 2020 is not good enough; cracks were discovered in it. Manufacturer Lockheed Martin has been asked to make a new one, and NASA believes it shouldn’t delay launch.

Tests in which the heat shield was subjected to forces 20 percent higher than what would be expected when landing on Mars showed cracks occurring. A replacement will therefore have to be developed; Lockheed Martin has been contracted by NASA for this. However, this will not ensure that the planned launch date of July 17, 2020 is missed, according to the space agency.

The heat shield is intended to last for launch in 2020, protecting the landing system and the Mars rover from heat as it enters the atmosphere. According to NASA, the results were unexpected, but the results of the tests show the need for extensive testing on Earth before launching rockets. That is why the old shield will still be repaired, so that additional tests can be done with it.

The Mars rover to be launched in 2020 is to be the successor to Curiosity, which is currently roaming Mars and launched in 2011. Among other things, NASA is considering taking soil samples with the new Mars rover and having them sent back to Earth. Earlier it was announced that NASA will equip the new rover with 23 cameras. Of these, 9 cameras take color photos with a resolution of 20 megapixels.