NASA's parachute for Mars 2020 mission sets world record

ByEyewitness News WABC logo
Monday, October 29, 2018
NASA breaks world record with parachute for Mars 2020 mission
Video courtesy of NASA.

NEW YORK -- New video shows NASA breaking a world record and takes the space agency a step closer to a mission to Mars.

A 180-pound parachute deployed in just four-tenths of a second -- twice the speed of sound -- setting a new record.

It's the final test for the parachute, which will be used in the Mars 2020 mission.

The powerful parachute is needed for the heaviest payload yet to hit the surface of the red planet.