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Morpheus Passes Another Free Flight Test At KSC

By  //  April 3, 2014

test lasted 96 seconds

ABOVE VIDEO: The Morpheus team successfully completed Free Flight 9 (FF9) the KSC SLF on Tuesday, March 11, 2014. This was the final flight before integration of ALHAT sensors on Bravo vehicle.

NASA.gov — A free flight test of the Morpheus prototype lander was conducted April 2 at the Shuttle Landing Facility.

A free flight test of the Morpheus prototype lander was conducted April 2 at the Shuttle Landing Facility. The 96-second test began at 4:21 p.m. EDT with the Morpheus lander launching from the ground over the flame trench and ascending more than 800 feet at a peak speed of 36 mph. The vehicle with its recently installed autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology (ALHAT) sensors surveyed the hazard field to determine “safe” landing sites. (Kennedy Space Center image)
A free flight test of the Morpheus prototype lander was conducted April 2 at the Shuttle Landing Facility. The 96-second test began at 4:21 p.m. EDT with the Morpheus lander launching from the ground over the flame trench and ascending more than 800 feet at a peak speed of 36 mph. The vehicle with its recently installed autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology (ALHAT) sensors surveyed the hazard field to determine “safe” landing sites. (Kennedy Space Center image)

The 96-second test began at 4:21 p.m. EDT with the Morpheus lander launching from the ground over the flame trench and ascending more than 800 feet at a peak speed of 36 mph. The vehicle with its recently installed autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology (ALHAT) sensors surveyed the hazard field to determine “safe” landing sites.

Morpheus then flew forward and downward covering 1300 feet while performing a 78-foot divert to simulate a hazard avoidance maneuver. The lander then descended and landed on a dedicated pad inside the autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology hazard field.

Project Morpheus tests NASA’s automated landing and hazard avoidance technology and an engine that runs on liquid oxygen and methane, or “green” propellants.

These new capabilities could be used in future efforts to deliver cargo to planetary surfaces. Morpheus and ALHAT are examples of the partnerships that exist within the agency since seven of the 10 NASA centers have contributed time, energy and resources to both.