NASA 'Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator' test

If you happened to be in the Pacific Ocean somewhere near Hawaii yesterday afternoon - you may have caught a fleeting glimpse of a gigantic balloon on its way into the upper reaches of the earth's atmosphere. It was part of an experimental flight called the Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator. The decelerator is in turn part of a NASA programme designed to deliver heavier spacecraft and eventually astronauts to Mars.