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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."

8 of 305 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Really has to be asked by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative
    What apparently happened is that the power connectors use screw terminals, and one managed to work its way off in the drive from Texas and subsequent shaking in the pre-launch tests. They got about 2 seconds of telemetry data after the launch and then it cut out.

    Going from memory, read it yesterday.

  2. More information... by Reality+Master+101 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Carmack makes quite a few posts to this Amateur Rocketry Board. Makes pretty interesting reading about the technical aspects of his rocket launches.

    --
    Sometimes it's best to just let stupid people be stupid.
  3. It was a loose wire by LucVdB · · Score: 5, Informative

    The computer died because one of the battery wires wiggled itself loose. I wouldn't really call that a 'computer malfunction'.

    The computer runs Linux, by the way.

    --
    Great games
  4. heres a copy by gimpboy · · Score: 5, Informative

    link

    --
    -- john
  5. Mirror of the movies by OverlordQ · · Score: 5, Informative

    First Movie
    and
    Second Movie mirrored for your enjoyment.

    --
    Your hair look like poop, Bob! - Wanker.
  6. Re:Really has to be asked by Ctrl-Z · · Score: 5, Informative


    Actually, the batteries they used had slip-on connectors.

    From the story:
    "The batteries have slip-on connectors, which have bothered me for quite a while, but screw terminal batteries are not available until much larger sizes. We are going to drill our own screw terminals in the lugs of future batteries, and possibly solder them as well."

    --
    www.timcoleman.com is a total waste of your time. Never go there.
  7. Re:Really has to be asked by VC · · Score: 5, Informative

    Nope, Read the article. The power connector fell off. No bug in the software, not the os, just the total lack of electricity.

    --
    Official GOD FAQ.
  8. Re:Ironic... by vsprintf · · Score: 5, Informative

    Yeah, why would any one name a rocket after an animal that doesn't even fly.

    The armadillo may not fly, but it can "launch" very well. Its defense mechanism is to jump straight up when frightened, and adults can jump three to four feet into the air. This, and its habit of wandering down roads at night, has made it a major cause of highway fatalities in Texas IIRC. It's not like having a dragonfly hit the windshield at 70 mph - more like an armor-plated bowling ball.