NASA Dragonfly Mission Advances Through Crucial Development and Testing Stagesby Clarence OxfordLos Angeles CA (SPX) Sep 17, 2025NASA's Dragonfly mission has successfully cleared several major design, development, and testing milestones, keeping it on track for launch in July 2028. She noted that cleanroom work, wind tunnel trials, and critical system tests are all feeding into the next stages of development. APL engineers validated the lander's Solimide-based foam insulation, designed to endure Titan's -300 F (-185 C) conditions. Structural and thermal trials confirmed that the 3-inch-thick layer will safeguard instruments and systems. Lockheed Martin teams in Denver advanced construction of Dragonfly's aeroshell, completing fabrication and thermal testing of its heatshield and backshell.