Object Details
Manufacturer
ILC Dover, Inc.
Summary
This is a prototype of the airbag for the Mars Pathfinder lander. Mars Pathfinder was the first mission intended to gather scientific data on the surface of the red planet since the Viking mission in 1976. An unusual, innovative method was used to achieve a soft landing of the spacecraft. On reaching Mars on July 4, 1997, Pathfinder entered the planet's thin atmosphere, was slowed by a parachute and then rockets, and then landed by bouncing on inflated airbags. The artifact consists of an engineering prototype for those airbags. The mission airbags as well as the prototypes were designed and built by JPL for NASA's office of Space Science. The artifact was transferred to NASM by NASA in 1999.
Credit Line
Transferred from National Aeronautics and Space Administration and Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Inventory Number
A19990073008
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Type
SPACECRAFT-Uncrewed-Parts & Structural Components
Materials
Synthetic Fabric (Vectran Polyester)
Aluminized Mylar
Steel
Non-Magnetic White Metal Alloy Wire
Plastic
Non-Magnetic White Metal Alloy Foil
Unknown Coating
Adhesive Tape
Silicone Adhesive
Ink
Copper Alloy
Coated Fabric
Dimensions
3-D (Approximate, Single Airbag): 386.1 × 337.8 × 30.5cm (12 ft. 8 in. × 11 ft. 1 in. × 12 in.)
Overall (assembled four airbags): 182 1/4 x 207 5/16in. (462.9 x 526.6cm)
Storage (Rehoused in a PSC): 123.2 × 115.6 × 91.4cm, 99.8kg (48 1/2 × 45 1/2 × 36 in., 220lb.)
Country of Origin
United States of America
See more items in
National Air and Space Museum Collection
Data Source
National Air and Space Museum
Link to Original Record
Record ID
nasm_A19990073008