NASA has assigned two aerospace corporations to develop special parachutes from plasma in a magnetic field. According to the publication New Scientist, innovative technologies will be called upon to protect the space probes and ships that enter the earth's atmosphere. The spacecraft will krujatsya magnetic bubbles of plasma-like shield that exists around our planet.
The television screen, which protects the Earth from radiation from the Sun, has prompted NASA to create a plasma of parachutes for the spacecraft. The bubble of plasma can reduce the speed of the aircraft will save it from combustion in the atmosphere.
It is planned that by the end of the year all preliminary calculations are completed. Testing an unusual system is planned for 2015.
In the full sense of the invention a parachute can not be called as the saving screen will be revealed gradually, like drops of common shutters.
Once in the atmosphere, the space ship collides with air molecules at tremendous speeds. From this molecular bombardment is a powerful release of thermal energy. So rockets and probes are equipped with special protective screens, which themselves burn, but protect the devices from destruction.
But the greater the weight of the spacecraft, the harder it is to ensure his safety. For landing spacecraft with a large mass of them were additionally equipped with huge parachutes, which lower the speed and thus slow their fall. But from heating parachutes still do not save.
Developed magnetic cocoons not only reduce speed but also reduce the heating temperature. It is planned that the work will be demonstrated on a small CubeSat satellite view. In the first half of 2015 it will be delivered to the ISS, where it will launch back to Earth.
Before the satellite is only one task – not to burn in dense layers of earth's atmosphere. Copper coil will create a magnetic field about CubeSat. As soon as the decline, the satellite will emit a small portion of the plasma. Magnetic field, it will catch that and create a life-saving bubble.
A cocoon of plasma will have to prevent collision of the object and molecules of the air that enters into the plasma and absorbs the electrons. Then the ionized gas is stuck in a magnetic field, because of this the spacecraft would envelop the gas parachute.
If the test is successful, the technology will be used on all landers. It can also be used for takeoffs, which would reduce the amount of space debris submitted by the exhaust stages of the flying missiles.
Source: zeleneet.com