{"id":39719,"date":"2013-11-04T17:47:55","date_gmt":"2013-11-04T09:47:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/morpheus-set-for-ksc-return-ahead-of-december-tests\/"},"modified":"2013-11-04T17:47:55","modified_gmt":"2013-11-04T09:47:55","slug":"morpheus-set-for-ksc-return-ahead-of-december-tests","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/morpheus-set-for-ksc-return-ahead-of-december-tests\/","title":{"rendered":"Morpheus set for KSC return ahead of December tests"},"content":{"rendered":"

Morpheus \u2013 an experimental lander project \u2013 is set to make its return to the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), ahead of the resumption of testing in December. Morpheus \u2013 which has conducted numerous tether tests at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) \u2013 will be hoping for a happier Florida stay, after it dramatically exploded during a previous KSC test in August, 2012.<\/p>\n

Project Morpheus:<\/p>\n

Manufactured and assembled at JSC and Armadillo Aerospace, the Morpheus system is large enough to carry 1,100 pounds of cargo to the moon \u2013 ranging from a humanoid robot, a small rover, or a small laboratory to convert moon dust into oxygen \u2013 performing all propellant burns after the trans lunar injection.<\/p>\n

\"\"It was heavily associated with a project to send a version of the Robonaut \u2013 like the one currently on the International Space Station (ISS) \u2013  to the Moon. This was known as Project M (documentation available in L2).<\/p>\n

This notional mission would see the robot and lander launched from KSC on a commercial expendable launch vehicle and inserted into a trans-lunar trajectory.<\/p>\n

Once at the moon, the spacecraft would be inserted into a low lunar orbit where it would orbit until ready to perform the entry, descent, and landing (EDL).<\/p>\n

\"\"The focus of the project is now aimed more at Morpheus being a vertical test bed demonstrating green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and hazard detection technology.<\/p>\n

The system is a prototype lander engineers can use to integrate technologies for future spacecraft that could land on a variety of destinations in our solar system.<\/p>\n

NASA mission updates<\/path>NASA educational resources<\/path>Spaceflight<\/path>\n

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Working on the fine-tuning of the vehicle\u2019s control and stability, 19 tethered tests were conducted on Morpheus through to 2012 at JSC.<\/p>\n

Morpheus then made its way to the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) at KSC, ahead of attempting its first free flight over a specially constructed hazard field of craters and rocks at the end of the runway.<\/p>\n

\"Z3\"However, the test \u2013 conducted in August of last year \u2013 did not go to plan, as the vehicle\u2019s Thrust Vector Control (TVC) system suffer a major malfunction, sending it into a roll, prior to crashing into the ground.<\/p>\n

Although SLF fire crews were on hand, the pressurized system could not be approached as it laid crippled on the site. Eventually, the fire breached the pressurized fuel tanks, resulting in it exploding.<\/p>\n

The Morpheus team, now combined with the Autonomous Landing Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) team members, were then directed to build the Morpheus 1.5B and 1.5C vehicles, ahead of a return to static hot fire and dynamic tethered flight tests at JSC in early 2013.<\/p>\n

\"Z4\"At the end of October, the lander\u2019s engine was successfully ignited six times in a row, with each burn lasted 600 milliseconds. This period of testing has been challenging, resulting in the test schedule at KSC to be delayed several times.<\/p>\n

Per L2 information, the latest schedule calls for the Morpheus to arrive at KSC for offload at the T-Shelter on November 12.<\/p>\n

Should this schedule hold, a Dry Run will be conducted on December 3, followed by a Wet Run the following day.<\/p>\n

See Also<\/h4>\n