Author Topic: Morpheus Lander Testing at JSC and KSC - Update Thread  (Read 315170 times)

Offline Rocket Science

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10586
  • NASA Educator Astronaut Candidate Applicant 2002
  • Liked: 4548
  • Likes Given: 13523
« Last Edit: 08/09/2012 06:15 pm by Chris Bergin »
"The laws of physics are unforgiving"
~Rob: Physics instructor, Aviator

Offline Cog_in_the_machine

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1232
  • Liked: 2
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Morpheus Lander Testing at JSC and KSC - Update Thread
« Reply #1 on: 05/04/2011 08:21 pm »
Cool, thanks for the heads up.
^^ Warning! Contains opinions. ^^ 

Offline Rocket Science

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10586
  • NASA Educator Astronaut Candidate Applicant 2002
  • Liked: 4548
  • Likes Given: 13523
Re: Morpheus Lander Testing at JSC and KSC - Update Thread
« Reply #2 on: 05/04/2011 09:25 pm »
looks ready...
"The laws of physics are unforgiving"
~Rob: Physics instructor, Aviator

Online Chris Bergin

Good catch. They really should pimp these things better, as it's easy to miss a test.

This one is about 10 minutes away, however.
Support NSF via L2 -- Help improve NSF -- Site Rules/Feedback/Updates
**Not a L2 member? Whitelist this forum in your adblocker to support the site and ensure full functionality.**

Online Chris Bergin

Vented a bit, then nothing, so assume that's not worked to plan.
Support NSF via L2 -- Help improve NSF -- Site Rules/Feedback/Updates
**Not a L2 member? Whitelist this forum in your adblocker to support the site and ensure full functionality.**

Online Chris Bergin

Fired just then. Seemed very unstable for the latter part.
« Last Edit: 05/04/2011 09:56 pm by Chris Bergin »
Support NSF via L2 -- Help improve NSF -- Site Rules/Feedback/Updates
**Not a L2 member? Whitelist this forum in your adblocker to support the site and ensure full functionality.**

Online ugordan

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8520
    • My mainly Cassini image gallery
  • Liked: 3543
  • Likes Given: 759
Re: Morpheus Lander Testing at JSC and KSC - Update Thread
« Reply #6 on: 05/04/2011 09:57 pm »
Darn, missed the firing, but there's a *load* of grassfire smoke there now.

Offline Rocket Science

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10586
  • NASA Educator Astronaut Candidate Applicant 2002
  • Liked: 4548
  • Likes Given: 13523
Re: Morpheus Lander Testing at JSC and KSC - Update Thread
« Reply #7 on: 05/04/2011 10:16 pm »
Ground support team moved back in. Control looks pleased so far...
"The laws of physics are unforgiving"
~Rob: Physics instructor, Aviator

Offline QuantumG

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9238
  • Australia
  • Liked: 4477
  • Likes Given: 1108
Re: Morpheus Lander Testing at JSC and KSC - Update Thread
« Reply #8 on: 05/04/2011 10:26 pm »
Follow @MorpheusLander on Twitter.
Human spaceflight is basically just LARPing now.

Offline Rocket Science

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10586
  • NASA Educator Astronaut Candidate Applicant 2002
  • Liked: 4548
  • Likes Given: 13523
Re: Morpheus Lander Testing at JSC and KSC - Update Thread
« Reply #9 on: 05/05/2011 12:03 am »
Found a nice video on YouTube.

"The laws of physics are unforgiving"
~Rob: Physics instructor, Aviator

Online jongoff

  • Recovering Rocket Plumber/Space Entrepreneur
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6807
  • Lafayette/Broomfield, CO
  • Liked: 3987
  • Likes Given: 1684
Re: Morpheus Lander Testing at JSC and KSC - Update Thread
« Reply #10 on: 05/05/2011 12:15 am »
Found a nice video on YouTube.



That was yesterday's flight.

~Jon

Offline A_M_Swallow

  • Elite Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8906
  • South coast of England
  • Liked: 500
  • Likes Given: 223
Re: Morpheus Lander Testing at JSC and KSC - Update Thread
« Reply #11 on: 05/05/2011 04:36 am »
This is today's flight.



They are demonstrating iterative development.  Possible with more stages than they intended.  They have got engine start and takeoff to work.  Next they are probably going to have to learn how to hover.

Offline Rocket Science

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10586
  • NASA Educator Astronaut Candidate Applicant 2002
  • Liked: 4548
  • Likes Given: 13523
Re: Morpheus Lander Testing at JSC and KSC - Update Thread
« Reply #12 on: 05/05/2011 09:45 pm »
This is today's flight.



They are demonstrating iterative development.  Possible with more stages than they intended.  They have got engine start and takeoff to work.  Next they are probably going to have to learn how to hover.
Ha, maybe they need to talk to the "old smart guys" from Grumman...:)
"The laws of physics are unforgiving"
~Rob: Physics instructor, Aviator

Offline QuantumG

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9238
  • Australia
  • Liked: 4477
  • Likes Given: 1108
Re: Morpheus Lander Testing at JSC and KSC - Update Thread
« Reply #13 on: 06/02/2011 01:47 am »
heh, apparently today's test caused an uncontrolled grass fire.

http://www.click2houston.com/news/28098870/detail.html

(via Jeff Foust).
Human spaceflight is basically just LARPing now.

Offline Namechange User

  • Elite Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7301
  • Liked: 0
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Morpheus Lander Testing at JSC and KSC - Update Thread
« Reply #14 on: 06/02/2011 02:02 am »
heh, apparently today's test caused an uncontrolled grass fire.

http://www.click2houston.com/news/28098870/detail.html

(via Jeff Foust).


"Uncontrolled" may not be the right word for it.  Building were not evacuated.  Traffic was onsite or offsite was not impacted.  Fire departements were on standby, after all we have not had any rain for a while, and since, after all there were rockets that were going to be fired in the in middle of a very dry pasture. 
Enjoying viewing the forum a little better now by filtering certain users.

Offline A_M_Swallow

  • Elite Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8906
  • South coast of England
  • Liked: 500
  • Likes Given: 223
Re: Morpheus Lander Testing at JSC and KSC - Update Thread
« Reply #15 on: 06/02/2011 03:30 am »
Here is the video of the fifth test.  Morpheus has now learnt how to hover.





I wonder if the next test will still be 7th June or will they be ordered to move to White Sands?

edit : spelling
« Last Edit: 06/02/2011 03:31 am by A_M_Swallow »

Offline Ben the Space Brit

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7206
  • A spaceflight fan
  • London, UK
  • Liked: 806
  • Likes Given: 900
Re: Morpheus Lander Testing at JSC and KSC - Update Thread
« Reply #16 on: 06/02/2011 11:01 am »
Well, at least they've got her flying straight this time! :D That TVC issue on the previous test was pretty hair-raising! Still, it's good to see that NASA still does good R&D work (so long as the project goes under the radar for a while).


@ A_M,

I don't see any reason to move the project to White Sands unless they're planning to move to untethered flight.
"Oops! I left the silly thing in reverse!" - Duck Dodgers

~*~*~*~

The Space Shuttle Program - 1981-2011

The time for words has passed; The time has come to put up or shut up!
DON'T PROPAGANDISE, FLY!!!

Offline A_M_Swallow

  • Elite Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8906
  • South coast of England
  • Liked: 500
  • Likes Given: 223
Re: Morpheus Lander Testing at JSC and KSC - Update Thread
« Reply #17 on: 06/02/2011 07:00 pm »
{snip}

@ A_M,

I don't see any reason to move the project to White Sands unless they're planning to move to untethered flight.

It is difficult to test a vehicle's cross country ability whilst tethered to a crane so there are probably going to be some untethered flights.

That should save the grass at JSC.

Online jongoff

  • Recovering Rocket Plumber/Space Entrepreneur
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6807
  • Lafayette/Broomfield, CO
  • Liked: 3987
  • Likes Given: 1684
Re: Morpheus Lander Testing at JSC and KSC - Update Thread
« Reply #18 on: 06/02/2011 07:43 pm »
They're definitely getting a lot better with time.  Unlike their first several flights this one wouldn't have crashed had it been untethered.  Still more wobbly than ideal, but I'm sure their GN&C team will eventually get it dialed in.  Looking forward to seeing the free-flights.

~Jon

Offline KelvinZero

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4286
  • Liked: 887
  • Likes Given: 201
Re: Morpheus Lander Testing at JSC and KSC - Update Thread
« Reply #19 on: 06/04/2011 01:43 pm »
As a amazing people, it is great to see progress on anything that looks like a moon lander :)

When can we expect to see something derived from this on a real mission?

Tags:
 

Advertisement NovaTech
Advertisement Northrop Grumman
Advertisement
Advertisement Margaritaville Beach Resort South Padre Island
Advertisement Brady Kenniston
Advertisement NextSpaceflight
Advertisement Nathan Barker Photography
0