Armadillo Aerospace 2010 Space Access Society video

Annual progress video covering Armadillo Aerospace activities from roughly April '09 to April '10. First shown at this year's Space Access Society conference, this video has been available on our web site but this is the first time it's been posted in HD, and with closed captions. We have fans who are hearing impaired, so this is for you too!

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• armadillo
• aerospace
• space
• vtvl
• rocket
• suborbital

[gordongate]

stupid question, but theres a lot of correctional gimballing going on, is that due to the centre of gravity shifting with the fuel moving about or torque movement from fuel pumps?

[armadilloaerospace]

@gordongate No fuel pumps. The propellants are probably sloshing, though.

[icewater75074]

I live 3/4 of a mile from the municipal airport where these guys practice. They have got to be the most annoying group of people I have ever seen. They perform their tests evenings and weekends, making it impossible to carry on a conversation in your own yard, they spook animals, they ruin any weekend with good weather by taking away the opportunity to enjoy quiet peaceful country living that the local residents moved out here to enjoy!!

[armadilloaerospace]

@icewater75074 The noise is unfortunate; we try not to do any tests we don't need. Evening testing has been dialed back a lot in the last year compared to before, but Saturday is just another work day for us.

I know it's the tests that stick out, but there are often months of quiet between test series.

[jag9998]

Oh armadilloaerospace, I summon thee! Please show us your grand generousity and delete this stupid, three page arguement over whether God exists!

[armadilloaerospace]

@jag9998 I'm not going to go through and delete the whole thing, but I blocked DreaminofFL360 which should cut down on it in the future. -ben

[Stesilaus]

The company may be called "Armadillo Aerospace" now, but it's only a matter of time before it becomes the "Union Aerospace Corporation"!

[rhyleymaster]

wait... these are reusable!!!

[gmemstrBlade]

I always knew Carmack was a genius... and wow, he's done a great job with his team!

[nost78]

@gordongate Fair point about the un-baffled tanks... not sure what you mean by "tangentially centred COG". but the lay way I see it is simply, if the arse is trying to overtake the nose then the slightest movement off centre (due to un-baffled fuel or atmospheric instability (high/low pressure fluctuations from hot gasses etc.) will cause a shift in COG and require correction. It is the dance of balance against gravity. Tangents, vectors, Newton, and Euclid, can explain it far better than I.

[gordongate]

@nost78 exact balance occurs if the finger was motionless, the stick's COG was tangentially centred to the pull of gravity along its length and there was no atmospheric movement.

There was a lot of adjusting going on, i wondered what the main cause was so i assumed centre of gravity, if that was the case, the thrust must be off centre to the COG to cause a lot of counter movement. so i wanted to know if the fuel sloshing about in an un baffled tank was the cause.

[nost78]

@gordongate

U ever balance a stick on end on your finger? would it stand on end without your finger moving to keep it balanced?