Author Topic: Armadillo Aerospace - New Video Update (Read 50944 times)

JesseD · « **Reply #100 on:** 10/24/2007 08:09 pm »

wow! they're really cutting it close on the FAA permit, then. I guess they're gonna do what AA did last year, just show up for the main event and do their qualification run right then. Here's hoping they show up to fly! It'll be a lot more exciting with actual competition!

JesseD · « **Reply #101 on:** 10/25/2007 05:22 pm »

And now, David Leonard has posted on LiveScience that Armadillo is the only contender who will actually fly this weekend. Too bad!

Ronsmytheiii · « **Reply #102 on:** 10/28/2007 02:32 pm »

Well they flew, but did not land:

Quote

After landing at the end of the first half of its trip, an igniter problem caused the team to alter the fuel flow rate. The 50-meter (165-foot) ascent of Module 1 (MOD) for its return journey back to its origin was faster than expected, which caused concern to John Carmack, the founder of Armadillo Aerospace. The engine was running rough, but the craft managed to remain aloft for most of the required 90 seconds—moving 50 meters (165 feet) across the desert back to the original launch site.

However, it was having trouble landing, swinging back and forth in its unstable descent back to the ground. It then tipped over then it did reach the concrete pad.

Team members of Armadillo Aerospace have further tries to win the prize. They are expecting to use a backup MOD for one of these tries at Level 1 (the $350,000 prize). They are also expecting to fly Pixel for the more dangerous attempt at landing on a rough landing site (Level 2), rather than on a concrete pad. The prize for successful completion of Level 2 is one million dollars. Level 1 and Level 2 prizes are provided by NASA.

Additional information on the Wirefly X PRIZE Cup is found at “2007 Wirefly X PRIZE Cup: ‘Earth's Great Space Exposition’”: http://www.itwire.com/content/view/15058/1066/

http://www.itwire.com/content/view/15069/1066/

JIS · « **Reply #103 on:** 10/29/2007 11:52 am »

It looks like there is still a long way to develop reliable crewed suborbital ship. Maybe many years.
Also it could take much longer to win lunar challenge price.

rosbif73 · « **Reply #104 on:** 10/29/2007 12:18 pm »

News is not good:

Quote

When the launch countdown ended at 1334 US Mountain Standard Time (1934 GMT), Armadillo's Module 1 vehicle exploded in a fireball with a bang that was audible from more than 1 kilometre away.
...
Following the failure, Armadillo Aerospace chief John Carmack said his team would not attempt the more demanding Level 2 challenge.

More details here.

rosbif73 · « **Reply #105 on:** 10/29/2007 01:53 pm »

More at http://www.thespacereview.com/article/990/1

JIS · « **Reply #106 on:** 10/29/2007 02:00 pm »

As I understand this they switched Quad engine with the MOD. It doesn't look as a good idea. They had two flightworthy modules before the accident on Saturday. After that accident they still had Quad which could try for both price levels. They've decided to dismantle Quad and repair MOD. It's unclear to me why they just haven't tried 1 level with Quad.
I hope they have a good justification for that.

meiza · « **Reply #107 on:** 10/29/2007 05:30 pm »

So, again Armadillo did good flights and came within seconds of winning the lunar lander challenge, but still couldn't do it!
Next year I'm certain they will take both levels...

mattfalk · « **Reply #108 on:** 10/30/2007 06:05 pm »

I've posted a number of photos of Armadillo and their prospective competitors at the show, as well as a number of the other displays. I wasn't there for the final flight attempt, however. Pictures from the airshow side of the event are forthcoming...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/musematt11/sets/72157602795784583/

Matt Falk

meiza · « **Reply #109 on:** 10/30/2007 06:47 pm »

Great stuff, Matt, thanks! I believe these are the first ever public photos of SpeedUp's Laramie Rose rocket as well as BonNova's carbon fiber rocket, the name of which is not mentioned here...
Big thanks!

hop · « **Reply #110 on:** 10/31/2007 04:38 am »

Carmack reports: http://armadilloaerospace.com/n.x/Armadillo/Home/News?news_id=350
videos etc to follow later

Tergenev · « **Reply #111 on:** 10/31/2007 12:49 pm »

I'm very sad to see this. I suspect, with the failure of Kistler to get private funding and their subsequent loss of the COTS contract, the 'failure' of the second SpaceX test flight, and the subsequent continuous delays to SpaceX's launch schedule, the Scaled Composites explosion, the dramatic fall of the US Dollar and it's international purchasing power (and Bigelow's ability to buy launches for a reasonable price, and now this second near miss by Armadillo . . . . that we may be seeing the fizzle of the New Space initiative. Yeah, there's still some momentum on some projects, but much of the energy is gone.

Jim and the other NASA and EELV people around here must be very pleased.

stockman · « **Reply #112 on:** 10/31/2007 12:56 pm »

Quote

Tergenev - 31/10/2007 9:49 AM

I'm very sad to see this. I suspect, with the failure of Kistler to get private funding and their subsequent loss of the COTS contract, the 'failure' of the second SpaceX test flight, and the subsequent continuous delays to SpaceX's launch schedule, the Scaled Composites explosion, the dramatic fall of the US Dollar and it's international purchasing power (and Bigelow's ability to buy launches for a reasonable price, and now this second near miss by Armadillo . . . . that we may be seeing the fizzle of the New Space initiative. Yeah, there's still some momentum on some projects, but much of the energy is gone.

Jim and the other NASA and EELV people around here must be very pleased.

My goodness, how negative. Do you think there were no failures, crashes, and even losses of life in the early heyday of airplane flight. Go back further to the early days of sailing vessels - some of them failed and some sank and there was loss of life. But at no time did it stop the movement forward.

Yes there have been several failures in new space as its called however, SpaceX is still going to fly,, bigelow IS flying and offering up big money for other development... scaled composite is still building SS2 and it will fly... All these hiccups will be looked back on in the same light as flight and sailing... baby steps with a few trips along the way. this by no means kills the momentum.

Tergenev · « **Reply #113 on:** 10/31/2007 01:21 pm »

stockman,
I truly hope that you are correct.

coach · « **Reply #114 on:** 10/31/2007 01:53 pm »

Tergenev, don't confuse disappointment with a lack of momentum. Is Virgin Galactic still attempting to fly? Will SpaceX launch another Falcon 1 early next year? Is the Lunar Lander Challenge still available at the XPrize Cup? Will there be more competition for the LLC next year? Is Bigelow ahead of schedule to put a manned space station in orbit? Will another company get the cancelled COTS money?

You can answer yes to all of those questions.

Did anyone really think that Kistler was going to succeed? Is the resolve of Robert Bigelow, Elon Musk, John Carmack, Peter Diamandis, Burt Rutan, Richard Branson, Jeff Greason, and all the rest gone?

You can answer no to all of those questions.

I believe the time is now when we will see the most success, not the least. The next two years will see amazing accomplishments, more than ever. The leaders are gritting their teeth right now not throwing their hands up in despair.

Coach

JesseD · « **Reply #115 on:** 10/31/2007 06:02 pm »

As far as the LLChallenge goes, I would say that Armadillo Aerospace's failure to take home all the money this past weekend will only help the new.space movement.

Sure, it's dissappointing! But it gives new hope for Masten, UnreasonableRocket, SpeedUp, BonNova, Acuity, and others. Motivation to continue their development work, because there's $2,000,000.00 available again.

Seer · « **Reply #116 on:** 10/31/2007 06:50 pm »

Over the last 2 years or so, momentum has definitely slowed. I think the Spacex falcon 1 schedule slips, and then failures, really took the wind out of the sails of some Newspace boosters.

Blue Origin, in fact, is the only space transportation company to keep on track with its own schedule, which wasn't very demanding to begin with.

On the other hand, the people behind these companies have very rich - Bezos is worth $10bn.

Danderman · « **Reply #117 on:** 10/31/2007 06:52 pm »

I think the only thing that will slow the NewSpace movement is a recession. Any one failure simply convinces competitors that their technical approach is valid, whereas the failed system is simply a failed system.

Jim · « **Reply #118 on:** 10/31/2007 07:02 pm »

Quote

Tergenev - 31/10/2007 9:49 AM

Jim and the other NASA and EELV people around here must be very pleased.

wasn't even keeping track of this

meiza · « **Reply #119 on:** 10/31/2007 07:21 pm »

Resistance is character-forming.

http://media.armadilloaerospace.com/2007_10_28/hardStart.jpg">

Armadillo has to make engines that ignite and run more reliably. They will do it.
There is a new media update:
http://www.armadilloaerospace.com/n.x/Armadillo/Home/News?news_id=351
As well as John Carmack's analysis, titled "We Failed.":
http://www.armadilloaerospace.com/n.x/Armadillo/Home/News?news_id=350

Check out the videos!
They had many successfull flights behind them, it is a surprise that they did not win the race this year. The first attempt was 8 seconds short on the return leg when it failed.