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That'd be the fairing, the 'nosecone' that covers the payload during launch. It wasn't shown in the webcast because it has a low probability of success (they've
by rory096 9y ago
That'd be the fairing, the 'nosecone' that covers the payload during launch. It wasn't shown in the webcast because it has a low probability of success (they've made several attempts so far with varying degrees of accuracy and damage) and because there's no live feed from the fairing as it descends.
The aim is to get it to land in a predetermined spot in the ocean with steerable parafoils, then eventually to stick a 'bouncy castle' at that spot to soften the landing.
- hinkley 9y agoDidn't one of the mars rovers bring its own bouncy castle? Hollywood has since used that in several movies.
- rory096 9y agoYep — Pathfinder and the Mars Exploration Rovers (Spirit & Opportunity) both used airbags. NASA has since switched to the 'sky crane' method for Curiosity and the fortcoming Mars 2020 rover, lowering higher-mass payloads to the ground without contaminating the surface with rocket exhaust (as with Phoenix and the Vikings).