SpudFiles

...And I've seen a LOT of rocket videos.

Got an email from John Carmack today (yes, I get emails from JC). In it was a link to a video of a test shot he did yesterday. Mind you, it may not be amazing to everybody as perhaps you need to be a rocketry geek to appreciate the difficulty of what's done here. Trust me when I say that what's done here is a world class demonstration of technology.

So what is done?

Vertical launch to 2000' altitude.
Short hover at 2000'.
ENGINE TURNED OFF!
Small drogue parachute deployed (with vehicle swinging wildly under canopy).
Parachute jettisoned.
ENGINE RESTARTED.
Vehicle regains control.
Vehicle lands vertically.


WOW!

Wow that was AWESOME!

Holy shiz, it looks like some alien space craft! Was the engine turn off intentional? It was unmanned, I presume, so was it controlled by a man or was it all done my itself? AWSOME.

D_Hall wrote:...And I've seen a LOT of rocket videos.

Got an email from John Carmack today (yes, I get emails from JC). In it was a link to a video of a test shot he did yesterday. Mind you, it may not be amazing to everybody as perhaps you need to be a rocketry geek to appreciate the difficulty of what's done here. Trust me when I say that what's done here is a world class demonstration of technology.

So what is done?

Vertical launch to 2000' altitude.
Short hover at 2000'.
ENGINE TURNED OFF!
Small drogue parachute deployed (with vehicle swinging wildly under canopy).
Parachute jettisoned.
ENGINE RESTARTED.
Vehicle regains control.
Vehicle lands vertically.


WOW!

Any weight and other measurements available?

How much thrust?

Wow... I gotta get me one of those... IMO such measurements are arbitrary really, what I see is an incredible proof-of-concept.

Computer-controlled, I presume?

I have but one question: who built this?

For more details on the vehicle: http://www.armadilloaerospace.com

As saefroch says, thrust and such are largely irrelevant. What's relevant is how it controlled itself (and yes, computer controlled).

That is so cool!!! That must have took alot of work...

I am absolutely speechless O.O

After watching it again, I noticed the nozzle is moving when it gets close to the ground. I'm guessing this is how it's kept upright but tha could also just be the power shaking it...

I was also thinking, someone should put the last half of the video (after the chute is dropped) on YouTube as "Alien Craft Lands In Plain Sight!!!"...


Edit: BTW,

Got an email from John Carmack today (yes, I get emails from JC).

Everyone already knows that you are awesome, you don't need to gloat...

Yes, the nozzle is moving. It's called "thrust vector control" and yes, that's how the vehicle is controlled.

D_Hall wrote:Yes, the nozzle is moving. It's called "thrust vector control" and yes, that's how the vehicle is controlled.

Ah Ha!!! Score one for me...

That's amazing how stable it was. Very impressive.

Can't imagine the kind of work, planning and resources that goes into this...I'm building liquid N2O rockets at the moment, but they have nothing on how cool this is.

Pop one of those control systems onto an SS-18 Satan engine and you've got one powerful VTOL system...

But I do wonder what they're planning to use this for... It has clear applications so far as NASA is concerned, like with landing craft from free-fall in turbulent conditions... but what would be more amazing is if we used this for some earth-based transport...

saefroch wrote:But I do wonder what they're planning to use this for...

The goal is space tourism. The intent is to be a competitor for Virgin Galactic.... But instead of it being like a glorified airline flight... you're going like Buck Rogers: vertical take off, flight, and landing.

This is cool from a customer's perspective for the obvious reason.

It's cool from the operator's perspective because the size of "airfield" required to operate such a vehicle goes from "full-sized airport" to "you could do it in your backyard." Thus, the operator saves millions of dollars in infrastructure costs.