Launch of NASA's Supersonic Decelerator Test #2

Today NASA launched a helium balloon with a volume of 1,120,000 cubic meters from the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻ carrying the Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator on it's second flight.

Once an altitude of 120,000 feet has been reached a rocket motor will fire to bring the craft up to 180,000 feet before it will descend into Earth's atmosphere and inflate, testing future possibilities that may be used to land craft on Mars.