Photos: NASA's 'Flying Saucer' for Mars Landings — 2nd Test Flight

LDSD Media Briefing

NASA briefed the media on the Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator flight test vehicle on June 1, 2015, at the U.S. Navy Pacific Missile Range Facility, Kauai, Hawaii.

LDSD Media Briefing #2

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator Integration and Test Manager Ban Tieu speaks with journalists next to the LDSD flight test vehicle on June 1, 2015, at the U.S. Navy Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii.

Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator Dress Rehearsal Distant View

The full mission dress rehearsal for the Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator took place on May 29, 2015, at the U.S. Navy Pacific Missile Range Facility Kauai, Hawaii.

Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator Test Vehicle with Star 48 Motor

NASA’s Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator test vehicle has a Star 48 motor integrated ahead of a planned second test flight to take place at the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai, Hawaii, on June 2, 2015. Image released May 17, 2015.

How Mars Landings Work (Infographic)

Spacecraft use multiple methods to slow down enough for a safe landing on Mars. See how Mars landings work in this Space.com infographic.

Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator Hawaiian Naming

Native Hawaiian Uncle Tom Takahashi bestows upon the Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator vehicle the name of "Kalani Ike Ike Kahonua" which means “highest boy in heaven” in the Hawaiian language. Image released May 29, 2015.

Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator Lifted

The Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator is lifted by the static launch tower as part of a training exercise on May 26, 2015, at the U.S. Navy Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) in Kauai, Hawaii.

Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator Rolls Out

The Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator test vehicle rolls out from the Missile Assembly Building at at the U.S. Navy Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) in Kauai, Hawaii, on May 26, 2015.

Star 48 Rocket Motor Integrated

NASA’s Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator project team readies the test vehicle by integrating the Star 48 motor, ahead of the planned June 2, 2015, second test flight from the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai, Hawaii. Image released May 17, 2015.

Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator Project

NASA has designed its Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator project to investigate and test breakthrough technologies for landing future robotic and human Mars missions, along with safely returning large payloads to Earth. Image released May 22, 2015.