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Armadillo Flies... Briefly

Posted by michael on from the lawn-dart dept.

david.given writes "Armadillo Aerospace did their first untethered test flight last week, at the Oklahoma Spaceport, using their new tube-shaped rocket. Predicted height was fifteen hundred feet; unfortunately a computer failure caused the vehicle to tip over and dive into the ground from a hundred feet up, causing severe damage (i.e., it requires a rebuild, not a repair). See the report and the slightly depressing video footage."

11 of 305 comments (clear)

  1. Really has to be asked by dirvish · · Score: 5, Funny

    unfortunately a computer failure caused the vehicle to tip over

    What operating system were they running?

    --
    FoundNews.com - get paid to blog.,
    1. Re:Really has to be asked by daeley · · Score: 5, Funny

      Rocket Scientist: 'Operating System? Crap! I *knew* we forgot something!'

      --
      I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate.
    2. Re:Really has to be asked by iabervon · · Score: 5, Funny

      "Hello, Tech Support? My rocket crashed." "Is the computer plugged in?"

    3. Re:Really has to be asked by vsprintf · · Score: 5, Funny

      Slip-on battery connectors are a bad idea.

      Slip-on connectors anywhere in an area subjected to lots of vibration or g-forces is a bad idea.

      I remember my second attempt at bracket racing, where a quarter of the way down the dragstrip, there was a huge bang from the engine, and it just died. I coasted to the exit road while listening to the announcer on the PA say, "Ha, looks like the *snicker* Ford's got real problems."

      We towed the Mustang home, and the next day I had unbolted the hood and was getting ready to pull the manifold and heads when an onlooking buddy says, "Did you yank this ignition wire?"

      A slip-on connector to the coil had shaken off. Dumbest design I've ever seen, and the end result was pretty embarassing in more than one way.

    4. Re:Really has to be asked by ChaoticLimbs · · Score: 5, Funny

      What you can do is melt an alloy of tin, lead and bismuth on the battery contacts after wrapping the wires around the terminals. This method is used by NASA. very hush-hush stuff. This special alloy of metals actually flows into the connection when in molten state, and not only does it improve the connection's electrical resistance, but it also improves the mechanical strength significantly once it hardens. Try that. PS- it lifted off and I bet that if the computer had been capable of actually controlling it, it would have flown (up) more.

  2. Ironic... by Spytap · · Score: 5, Funny

    This is what happens when you name your vehicle after one of the dumbest animals alive...it acts like one.

  3. Meanwhile, in Redmond by Epsillon · · Score: 5, Funny

    Microsoft issues a statement calling the launch a "complete success" and promises 150 feet by "service pack 2"

    --
    Resistance is futile. Reactance buggers it up.
  4. Re:Wonderfull by unicron · · Score: 5, Funny

    The sooner they build the rocket, the sooner they find an advanced civilization that can gives us the computer needed to run Doom3 above 800x600. Just have patience.

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    Finally, math books without any of that base 6 crap in them.
  5. NEW tube shaped rocket? by spun · · Score: 5, Funny

    As opposed to the outdated cubical rockets?

    --
    - None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton
  6. Re:Mirror of the movies by WankersRevenge · · Score: 5, Funny

    That launch reminds of my first time I tried to score with a woman. Ahh. Memories.

  7. Of course it failed! by tswinzig · · Score: 5, Funny

    "NOVEMBER SKY" doesn't translate into anything nearly as cool as "ROCKET BOYS."

    I mean, according to anagram science, Carmack should have been asking his girl to "SERVE MY KNOB."

    --

    "And like that ... he's gone."