NASA's Mars Mission Shields Up for Tests

Set far away from residents and surrounded by dunes, the Remote Hypervelocity Test Laboratory at NASA’s White Sands Test Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico, has supported every human spaceflight program from the Space Shuttle to Artemis. A team designing shields to protect NASA's Mars Earth Entry System from micrometeorites and space debris traveled to this facility to safely recreate dangerous impacts, and to test the team’s shields and computer models.

Video Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
James Tralie (ADNET):
Lead Producer
Lead Editor
Videographer

Sam Molleur (NASA/JPL):
Producer
Videographer

Dave Hendon (NASA/White Sands):
White Sands Videographer
Support

Marcus Sandy (NASA/White Sands):
Manager, White Sands Hypervelocity Testing

Dennis Garcia (NASA/White Sands):
.50-Caliber Test Conductor

Russ Stein (NASA/Goddard):
Micrometeoroid Protection System Product Design Lead

Bruno Sarli (NASA/Goddard):
System Engineer for CCRS

Art Pardo (NASA/White Sands):
White Sands Lead Electrical Technician

Animations from NASA/CILabs, NASA/JPL, and ESA