 July 8, 2013 - 3:01am | SpaceX 's grasshopper rocket http://www.geeksaresexy.net/2013/07/06/spacex-grasshoper-rocket-takes-off-rises-1066-feet-and-lands-video/ cool vindication of SF concepts I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 July 8, 2013 - 6:11pm | This is truly impressive. I did a rocket control circuit in my graduate
level controls course in college. The math and actual implementation
was extremely hard just for a rocket going up. And, we were only
concerned with getting the rocket to stay stable not to actually aim at
anything. Double the complexity to aim, quadruple the complexity to do
it backwards too. I am awed by their success. -iggy |
July 8, 2013 - 6:12pm | What we need next is a way out of chemical rockets. -iggy |
July 9, 2013 - 5:26am | What I found truly astonishing was the moment when it seemed to hover. On could presume that such a rocket could hover for as long as the fuel lasted. I also wonder at the effect of wind on it. No doubt they are not flying it when there is more than a breeze. I think this points the way for orbital drop modules and pods and orbital combat insertion sans parachute. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
July 9, 2013 - 5:36am | From the video I believe I detect the presence of 4 maneuvering rockets positioned around the main thrust rocket. I suspect that these are quite maneuverable. Extraploating to SF craft: a simple tail first rocket is easy to imagine- likely that the non rocket manuevering thrusters are also tied in via computer control interpreting the pilots movements with the joystick and using the thrusts (compressed air) as well as the 4 maneuvering rockets and the main thrust rocket to maintain proper alignment of the craft through what ever manuevers the pilot calls for. Trying to imagine how this system would look on the assault scout. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 July 9, 2013 - 11:29am | I liked it. Dad... can I have one for my birthday? The bombing starts in five minutes. |
July 9, 2013 - 9:46pm | I looked at some other SpaceX stuff and there are maneuvering jets on the nose of the ships as well. This is so you can counter the movement of the top weight before it overcomes the stability of the craft and tips it over. As far as wind goes this system should be able to operate in high winds if the manuvering thrusters are strong enough and can be throttled up and down as needed rather than just pulse on and off. -iggy |
