HIAD (Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator)

[Diche Bach]

HIAD Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerators

I stumbled on this video and found the whole thing to be pretty fascinating. Did a search on here for "IRVE" and "HIAD" and found a few threads where it has been mentioned but no threads specifically devoted to discussing the technology or documentaries/news about it.

What are folks thoughts on this technology? Is it as significant as it seems to be? It is a bit puzzling to me as a non-physical scientist why it makes such a big difference; would appreciate hearing any of you elaborate on it.

[magnemoe]

Well I think of an KSP part
 

[Elthy]

Whats happening with the proposed mission from orbital velocity?

[Diche Bach]

57 minutes ago, Elthy said:

Whats happening with the proposed mission from orbital velocity?

No idear. Was hoping someone else could fill us in! 

[PakledHostage]

5 hours ago, Diche Bach said:

No idear.

All I know is that's what you call a deer with no eyes...

Edited October 18, 2016 by PakledHostage

[Nibb31]

They've done several tests which didn't work really well, but the whole project is on a shoestring budget. It's not a heatshield. It's an intermediate device between a high altitude parachute and a heatshield.

[wumpus]

4 hours ago, Nibb31 said:

They've done several tests which didn't work really well, but the whole project is on a shoestring budget. It's not a heatshield. It's an intermediate device between a high altitude parachute and a heatshield.

I suspect that a high altitude parachute wouldn't be that hard to design for aerocapture.  Basically, the whole thing would have a much higher surface area that the vehicle and withstand a reasonable temperature (made out of aluminum foil, possibly a reasonably high temperature alloy).  Of course such a thing would only be good for aerocapture (and possibly de-orbiting), but descent and landing would require an additional system.  I suspect nobody wants to carry the weight (however small, since the total surface area wouldn't be all that high a multiple of the surface area of the vessel) of an extra system, nor have an extra system whose failure could doom the mission.

[Diche Bach]

8 hours ago, Nibb31 said:

They've done several tests which didn't work really well, but the whole project is on a shoestring budget. It's not a heatshield. It's an intermediate device between a high altitude parachute and a heatshield.

I think maybe it has had some successes more recent that what you are thinking of. That video I posted up there seems to suggest that, while they did have one or two of the first missions that didn't do so well, the IRVE 3 mission performed flawlessly. That is the one with the alternative attitude control, involving splitting the reentry vehicle in half and the the top (more massive) half shifting position relative to the center of the lower half and HIAD 'foil(?)' as a way to lean the vehicle in a controlled fashion as it descends and thus to (as one of the scientists in the video put it) "surf" through the atmosphere.