The inflatable heat shield is a breakthrough in reentry technology. Traditional capsules rely on heavy, single-use heat shields or parachutes to survive reentry.

The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) launched and tested a new umbrella-like heat shield on Wednesday, opening the door to landing humans on Mars. The new technology ...

NASA’s Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator, or LOFTID, is a test of inflatable heat shield technology that could one day help land astronauts on Mars.

The inflatable heat shield is a breakthrough in reentry technology. Traditional capsules rely on heavy, single-use heat shields or parachutes to survive reentry.

German startup Atmos Space Cargo launched the Phoenix on SpaceX's Bandwagon-3 mission. The vehicle met key goals, including testing an inflatable heat shield and collecting flight data.