Author Topic: Armadillo Aerospace Update Thread  (Read 241259 times)

Offline vulture4

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Re: Armadillo Aerospace Update Thread
« Reply #340 on: 10/03/2012 02:52 pm »
I wonder what mods have been made to the recovery system? Perhaps a drouge chute?

Offline thydusk666

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Re: Armadillo Aerospace Update Thread
« Reply #341 on: 10/03/2012 03:44 pm »
Is it planned to do a powered landing?

Offline Jason1701

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Re: Armadillo Aerospace Update Thread
« Reply #342 on: 10/03/2012 03:47 pm »
Is it planned to do a powered landing?

No. Like the other Stigs, it will probably do a ballute + steerable parachute recovery.

Offline vulture4

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Re: Armadillo Aerospace Update Thread
« Reply #343 on: 10/03/2012 04:18 pm »
Is it planned to do a powered landing?

No. Like the other Stigs, it will probably do a ballute + steerable parachute recovery.

I just love the popout nosecone, just like my old Estes models but a lot bigger.

Offline Robotbeat

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Re: Armadillo Aerospace Update Thread
« Reply #344 on: 10/03/2012 04:22 pm »
Is it planned to do a powered landing?
It's planned to land on the rocket nozzle, the strongest part of the rocket. And the only part of this rocket that survived the previous flight to near space (and shovel recovery). It's the only part (I think?) that is reused, since the rest of Stig was destroyed last time. Nearly indestructible.
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Offline savuporo

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Re: Armadillo Aerospace Update Thread
« Reply #345 on: 10/07/2012 07:45 pm »
Well, the flight didnt go so well.
Quote
Twitter / ID_AA_Carmack:

 Armadillo flight at Spaceport America hit an abort limit, but the recovery system functioned properly, so the vehicle is safe.

EDIT: and more from JC on Arocket
Quote
Stig hit a ground speed abort limit, even though the predicted impact point was still only half our clear zone.  The control parameters were unchanged from the last launch, so the heavier vehicle wasn't as tightly controlled.

On the bright side, the steerable parachute finally got a chance to work properly, bringing the rocket right back to the launch point.
« Last Edit: 10/07/2012 07:47 pm by savuporo »
Orion - the first and only manned not-too-deep-space craft

Offline Jason1701

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Re: Armadillo Aerospace Update Thread
« Reply #346 on: 10/07/2012 11:39 pm »
It's great news that they finally got recovery to work.

Offline DanielW

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Re: Armadillo Aerospace Update Thread
« Reply #347 on: 10/09/2012 01:37 am »
Landing under steerable parachute.

https://twitter.com/ID_AA_Carmack/status/255468073883144193/photo/1/large

Wish it showed a bit more of the parachute.

Offline Zond

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Re: Armadillo Aerospace Update Thread
« Reply #348 on: 11/03/2012 09:27 pm »
Stig-B was launched again but also aborted again in flight.
Quote
The Armadillo rocket launch aborted early again today. Recovery was successful, but we need to rework some systems before next flight.
https://twitter.com/ID_AA_Carmack/status/264832123079380992

Offline mto

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Re: Armadillo Aerospace Update Thread
« Reply #349 on: 12/06/2012 05:55 pm »


Wamore Guided Recovery System on Stig B

"This is a video of the first Stig B flight that shows the liftoff and landing in the same camera angle. This precision is not an anomaly! They typically land within 80 meters of the intended point. In this case they were 55 meters from the intended point.

Even with the slight damage to the canopy, it still flew like a dream. It had a bit of a line dump when it opened and the slider came down early. Even still everything held together as designed and the unit experienced a perfect recovery.

One cautionary note. Make sure you program your landing point in a clear area away from the launch rail. This thing is accurate enough that if you use the launch point you are at risk of crashing into your launch tower when it comes back!

Contact Mark Kusbel at Wamore Inc. [email protected] His company has built and tested guidance units from 25 lbs and less up to 30,000 lbs. The one in the video is rated for 2200+ lbs.

Is it expensive? Well, that depends. Cost for a new 4 wheeler or a jeep to chase across the desert, $2000+. The ability to walk 100 yards and walk back with a 100K' shot, priceless!"

Offline Silmfeanor

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Re: Armadillo Aerospace Update Thread
« Reply #350 on: 12/06/2012 09:00 pm »
That is seriously impressive. woah.

Offline corrodedNut

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Re: Armadillo Aerospace Update Thread
« Reply #351 on: 12/06/2012 09:11 pm »
Maybe this is a little OT, but why aren't these types of steerable, ram-air parafoils used in reentry vehicles? X-38 did, but no other vehicles since. At first glance it seems like a better solution than airbags, landing rockets, etc.

Offline mto

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Re: Armadillo Aerospace Update Thread
« Reply #352 on: 12/20/2012 11:48 pm »
Neil's British quote of the day, "That was a real Rip-Snorter!"


Another day at the shop... I was amused to hear Neil exclaim how that one was a real "Rip Snorter"! I must admit though, it really sounded nice and ran exceptionally smooth!



Offline simonbp

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Re: Armadillo Aerospace Update Thread
« Reply #353 on: 12/21/2012 04:32 am »
That is seriously impressive. woah.

RTLS indeed!

Offline Zond

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Re: Armadillo Aerospace Update Thread
« Reply #354 on: 01/08/2013 06:10 pm »
LaunchDatePayloadVehicleCompanySiteResult
213Jan 05, 2013ScientificSTIG-B IIIArmadilloSpAmericaFailure

http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/launch_license/licensed_launches/historical_launch/

Offline Jason1701

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Re: Armadillo Aerospace Update Thread
« Reply #355 on: 01/09/2013 12:37 pm »
I wonder if that means failure to achieve full mission profile, or loss of vehicle.

Offline johng

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Re: Armadillo Aerospace Update Thread
« Reply #356 on: 01/09/2013 02:09 pm »
Maybe this is a little OT, but why aren't these types of steerable, ram-air parafoils used in+ reentry vehicles? X-38 did, but no other vehicles since. At first glance it seems like a better solution than airbags, landing rockets, etc.

Ram-airs have many more failure modes than a round parachute.  That is, there are many more options for how they can open wrong, as Armadillo seems to be working through. 

As a result, failure rates are higher for ram-airs than for round parachutes, even among the ones that people wear.  That's why people wear a reserve.  Problems could all be worked through and mitigated to some extent with good engineering, like any other aerostructure.  Of course that takes time, money, and would generally increase complexity and weight of the system. 

For exmaple, one mitigation used with round parachutes is the cluster.  3 Parachutes, rated such that if one fails, landing with the other 2 is still survivable.  There is no practical way to cluster ram-airs. So, you would have to have a reserve of some sort for redundancy.Things then start getting tricky with how you get rid of a malfunction, reorient a capsule, and put another parachute out there.  Extra weight, extra cost, extra altitude required. 

I could go on and on.  But to keep it short, like any system, there are trades plus and minus to be made, and when comparing systems, the ones with the most net upside are selected. 

Offline go4mars

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Re: Armadillo Aerospace Update Thread
« Reply #357 on: 01/09/2013 02:18 pm »
I could go on and on.
Please do!
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Offline johng

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Re: Armadillo Aerospace Update Thread
« Reply #358 on: 01/09/2013 02:41 pm »
I could go on and on.
Please do!

Nah, it is getting off topic, and I get paid to go on and on about parachutes. :)

Offline beancounter

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Re: Armadillo Aerospace Update Thread
« Reply #359 on: 01/17/2013 12:46 am »
Any further update on the failure?  I've searched everywhere I can think of with no luck.  :(
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