Watch live: NASA blasts dual mission into orbit on Atlas V 401 rocket

NASA and NOAA partner in the development, launch, testing, and operation of all satellites in the JPSS series. NASA develops and builds the instruments, spacecraft, and ground system, as well as launches the satellites for NOAA, while NOAA operates the satellites.

Meanwhile LOFITD, which looks similar to a UFO, is designed to act as a giant brake during atmospheric re-entry, converting kinetic energy into heat and slowing its descent. If the test is successful, heat shields of various sizes could be used to help craft touch down onto extra-terrestrial worlds like Mars, Titan and Venus and could help to recover parts of launch vehicles on Earth to make access to space cheaper as rockets could be reused.

JPSS-2 has now been deployed into space as in communicating with ground stations. The JPSS-2 is reportedly very happy about this, with everything going well as officials “anxiously” await the official start of the LOFTID demonstration with the turning on of the re-entry vehicle. 

LOFTID will be taken into a lower altitude to complete its re-entry, which could provide possible hardware recovery for rockets as well as inform future missions to extra-terrestrial planets.

Article source: https://www.express.co.uk/news/science/1694720/nasa-atlas-v-jpss-2-loftid