Mars test parachute fails in NASA test

NASA officials say a giant parachute inflated during a test of new technology for landing larger spacecraft on Mars, but it then disintegrated immediately afterward.

Space Technology Mission Directorate Associate Administrator Steve Jurcyzk told a teleconference on Tuesday the parachute appeared to rupture after it deployed.

He says the agency will study why that happened and make changes to develop a parachute that won't fail.

Monday's test off the Hawaiian island of Kauai was investigating technology designed to slow down a large landing vehicle falling through the atmosphere at supersonic speeds.

Another giant parachute also failed to inflate during a similar NASA test last year. One of the main goals this year was to test the redesigned parachute.