Armadillo Aerospace rocket test video

[Dr Mordrid]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9u0qlIoSSkQ

The test shows one of their rockets, which are being designed for vertical takeoff and vertical landing, lifting off then shutting its engines down. As it begins to lose stability a drogue 'chute deploys then is cut loose. The rocket then re-fires its engine, re-stabilizes itself and descends for a pinpoint landing under autonomous control. It even hit its launch pad just a few feet off dead center .

Quite impressive, and intended for manned launches and asteroid/moon and planetary landers and rovers. NASA is interested in the flight stabilization systems both from Armadillo Aerospace and Masten Space Systems, but a few days ago Armadillo 'recruited' one of Masten's top engineers so....

Armadillo also has signed a deal with Space Adventures, the outfit that booked tourist Soyuz flights to the ISS.

http://armadilloaerospace.com/n.x/Armadillo/Home

http://mastenspace.com/

[Evildead666]

That was a really cool video

A bit of small hard landing, but i suspect there is no suspension for the final ground contact...