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Armadillo suspense
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Moon Mission Member  
Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2003 8:46 pm
Posts: 1204 Location: Kapellen, Antwerp, Belgium, Europe, Planet Earth, the Milky Way Galaxy 
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 Posted on: Sun Oct 28, 2007 6:58 pmhttp://spacefellowship.com/News/?p=3492
Update - Clock ticking again! Armadillo has now 150 minutes to win the prize in their fourth attempt! _________________ Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible. - Lord Kelvin, 1892 |
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Spaceflight Participant  
Joined: Fri Oct 21, 2005 12:42 pm
Posts: 73 Location: Washington DC
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Posted on: Sun Oct 28, 2007 7:14 pm interview on Cosmic Log with Russel Blink of AA
Quote: "We changed our procedure a little bit to flush out the system," said Armadillo team member Russ Blink. Armadillo has had good luck getting the Mod to Point B - it's the return trip that's been difficult. This time around, the team will take more time to clear residual fuel out of the engine system by letting pressurized helium squirt through the main valves. Blink thinks that's what led to the damaging hard start during the morning run. "I looked up in there, and the engine was wet," he told me. |
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Spaceflight Participant
Joined: Fri Oct 21, 2005 12:42 pm
Posts: 73 Location: Washington DC
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Posted on: Sun Oct 28, 2007 7:51 pm Fiery End
Quote: Armadillo Aerospace's Mod lander set off a blast of flame during its final launch at the X Prize Cup, and a fire broke out at the launch pad. Fire crews responded, and the flames died down within a couple of minutes. This appears to be the end for Armadillo's effort to win a prize at this year's Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge. |
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Rocket Constructor 
Joined: Sun Oct 28, 2007 5:39 pm
Posts: 7
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Posted on: Sun Oct 28, 2007 7:52 pm Looks like it's all over.
Alan Boyle wrote: "Armadillo Aerospace's Mod lander set off a blast of flame during its final launch at the X Prize Cup, and a fire broke out at the launch pad. Fire crews responded, and the flames died down within a couple of minutes. This appears to be the end for Armadillo's effort to win a prize at this year's Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge. |
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Spaceflight Participant
Joined: Fri Oct 21, 2005 12:42 pm
Posts: 73 Location: Washington DC
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Posted on: Sun Oct 28, 2007 7:55 pm There are several nice pictures of the AA team swapping out engine parts at:
http://www.transterrestrial.com/archives/009923.html |
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Space Walker 
Joined: Sun Apr 30, 2006 10:55 am
Posts: 126 Location: Amsterdam
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Posted on: Sun Oct 28, 2007 8:26 pm This is a big disappointment for everybody ...
One would think their system would be a bit bore reliable by now after all these successful (and less successful) test flights. Seems like they still have a lot of work to do the upcoming year. cheers, C. |
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Space Walker
Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 12:45 pm
Posts: 143
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Posted on: Sun Oct 28, 2007 11:03 pm Awww, that's bitter. At least they made a nice show for the crowd.. Wish I could have been there :)
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Space Station Member  
Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2004 8:21 pm
Posts: 297 Location: LI/NY - currently
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Posted on: Sun Oct 28, 2007 11:32 pm Well this settles it, I am definitely planning on going next year.
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Space Station Member
Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2004 6:50 am
Posts: 265 Location: UK
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Posted on: Sun Oct 28, 2007 11:42 pm A fairly brutal weekend for Armadillo, but as Minthos said - they didn't put on a bad show. Pity about the lack of a live webcast.
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Moon Mission Member 
Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2004 11:52 am
Posts: 1276 Location: Exeter, Devon, England
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Posted on: Mon Oct 29, 2007 7:07 am the lack of live television was a joke this year!
Lets hope next year they get it together  _________________ > http://www.fullmoonclothing.com > http://www.facebook.com/robsastrophotography > robgoldsmith@hotmail.co.uk |
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Moon Mission Member
Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2004 11:52 am
Posts: 1276 Location: Exeter, Devon, England
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Posted on: Mon Oct 29, 2007 10:19 am official xprize footage here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhuyZolb544 _________________ > http://www.fullmoonclothing.com > http://www.facebook.com/robsastrophotography > robgoldsmith@hotmail.co.uk |
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Spaceflight Trainee 
Joined: Tue Oct 05, 2004 9:35 pm
Posts: 26 Location: Michigan
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Posted on: Mon Oct 29, 2007 11:49 am I wonder how much this had to do with the lower strength chambers they had to take from their supplier?
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Spaceflight Participant
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2007 7:28 am
Posts: 68
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Posted on: Mon Oct 29, 2007 12:51 pm I think the problem was apparently a modification they made to their start sequence due to the grit issue with their propellant lines. Still in the event of a hard start weak graphite wouldn't have helped.
Bad luck again armadillo, I look forward to a nice big update with lots of pictures, please don't skimp on the technical details as I find those really interesting. |
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Space Station Member
Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2004 8:21 pm
Posts: 297 Location: LI/NY - currently
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Posted on: Mon Oct 29, 2007 6:39 pm BitBanger wrote: I wonder how much this had to do with the lower strength chambers they had to take from their supplier? Certainly something to wonder about, wouldn't be the first time Armadillo got the short end of the stick because of a supplier issue. |
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