NASA’s Morpheus prototype lander has conducted a successful free-flight test that saw it reach a height of 580 feet in its fastest and highest ascent to date.
The 83 second test (which is rather noisy — watch the volume on the video) was performed at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida
Morpheus started its journey over a flame trench and ended it by landing in a specially designed area 837 feet away.
Designed to serve as a vertical testbed for advanced spacecraft technologies, Morpheus provides a platform for bringing technologies from the laboratory into an integrated flight system at relatively low cost.
The vertical take-off and landing vehicle is propelled by a mixture of methane and liquid oxygen and is designed to carry payloads of up to 1,100 pounds.
Very impressive – although wouldn’t to much for the lawn if it landed in the back garden!
Don’t be silly, all the lawns on Mars are fireproof.
You tube recommends another more exciting video of the lander with a nice explosion.