We all have to crawl before we can walk, and NASA’s Morpheus lander is no different — well, except for the fact that “crawl”, in this case, actually means burst into a pile of flames. But all that’s in the past, and NASA’s taken to their YouTube and Instagram accounts to show off the absolutely stunning success of the new Morpheus prototype’s very first (successful) free flight.
According to NASA’s description of the photo:
The 54-second test began with the Morpheus lander launching from the ground over a flame trench and ascending approximately 50 feet, then hovering for about 15 seconds. The lander then flew forward and landed on its pad approximately 23 feet from the launch point.
Now, that’s no SpaceX Grasshopper distance, but it is 100 per cent flame-free. Baby, steps, folks. [NASA on Instagram]