Texel - Lunar Lander Challenge at the X-Prize Cup

[Rolftrap]

sooo f-ing sweet....

[br8d1]

That looks awfully dangerous.

[davepamn]

Impressive.

It is like balancing a rocket on top of a parabola. The rocket orientation must be kept upright within a certain tolerance.

What solutions will be implimented too correct the rocket when it exceeds 30% from straight up?

[johnsmdm]

simply use retractable landing pods...

[JJoonnPP]

Impressive! :)

[Mastercorder]

This is cool its the first new technology lander to even come close to the 1960`s LLV test vehicle for the original Apollo lunar module problems are to much thrust rake under vehicle too much noise not enough control looks like it could be lost pretty quick needs much better landing soft and much much more docile control in flight it doesnt look very controllable or safe for human passengers etc.

[Beamshipcaptain]

Don't forget, this is working in 1 G Earth-gravity at sea-level. It only has to work 1/6th G in the Lunar vicinity.

[theaggravator]

Needs shock absorber landing struts

[Gromitdog1]

One of the better ones ive seen, with modern technology. I will have a better appreciation for this when i see one dropped from a 747 at 50 000 feet and it soft lands. This really casts an enormous shadow of doubt over the whole apollo/ luna missions.

[BobCassidy]

Eh, how does it and why would dropping it from 50,000 feet in our atmosphere give you a better appreciation of it?

[aval1998]

COOL!i live in oklahoma!!:)

[cba999casey]

Unidentified flying object = UFO

this is a IFO identified flying object

[Sirius35BZH]

better way is to say trust... and not to transform it

This is an Texel Module from Armadillo Aerospace

[beckslash85]

mi j' aria pow cal scioppa!!!

[hamzooKLR]

then the UFO is human made ... !!!

[bestamerica]

hamzooKLR,

then the UFO is human made ... !!!

human make gas rocket,,,

ufo make secret NO need gas rocket

[zooto68]

@hamzooKLR How can it be 'unidentified' when we know what it is?

[krispykr33m2]

I'ts not very pretty but it does the trick i guess

[SPxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxACE]

actually its kinda hot if you ask me

Im gonna try to get with it, nom sayn

[johnathenbates]

who says a brick cant fly!

[sodia1]

that thing is usles to fly with koz there is no real engine on there it just uses pure jet fuel to fly and you can spend 1/10 that to fly with a a normal airplane

[D4rk20]

Well since this is a launch vehicle being designed for orbital space launches. I don't see the relevance of comparing it to a commercial jet. Plus I believe there engine system runs off LOX and methanol. I wouldn't call that a fake engine either mate... I don't know which engine is being used in this video but there 8" LOX/meth. engine is expected to produce up 20,000 lbs of thrust. Much more then a planes engine of similar size!

[KinMil]

its a lunar lander, any engine needs air to release thrust even jet engines....so i believe this thingy is best for outer space lunar landing.

[HosteDenis]

@sodia1 yes planes do have their efficiency but not in the vacuum of outer space and that's what this thing's designed for!

[johnathenbates]

i'm impressed with the runtime they achieved with the size fuel tanks used

wow!

[berdegreen]

watta!!!! u.f.o

[SCHIZOPHRENlC]

Can it DO A BARREL ROLL!?

[NCHCITY]

cool!!!

[Sirius35BZH]

there are systems with gyros ;)

[jack85635]

Very nice, but how does it stand so steady in the air, so balanced. why does´t it turn on one side and lose control. It only has one rocket motor.

Is it because the motor is above vehicles masscenter? Or is there somekind of system with gyros used to gain such a good stability?

[alancj05]

active stability control. Fiber optic gyros to detect movement + computer programed right+ actuators to point the engine + a good throttle control = nifty, inherently unstable, flying fuel tank that goes where you want it to.

[drexqwertyuiop]

damn impresive

[petervanwieringen]

hm, yes 4 of it, at least you can see what it is. a space shuttle is basically a flying water Tank(liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen), all combined in a good looking shell with tiles on the outside :)

[petervanwieringen]

hmm, yes 4 of it, at least you can see what it is. a space shuttle is basically a flying water Tank(liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen), all combined in a good looking shell with tiles on the outside :)

[crazyryan]

looks like a flying propane tank.

hank hill(king of the hill) would say "i fly propane and propane accessories." lmaorof

[dinmagic]

Pixel vehicle won $350,000 just recently, I wonder who's going to be the winner in level 2.

[absolumba]

t is preeminently stable although fuel also carries out wasteful mind.

[WRATHofGOD18]

Looks like their lander is progressing. I wonder if they have a delivery system for it?

[shelle1even]

Excellent! The Moon Is Getting Closer & Closer! For all

[AcePilot101]

Hmm..that's interesting.

[DancingSpiderman]

Very nice flight video!

What is the general flight criteria?

How high must it fly before it lands?

How long must it hover in place?