Armadillo

Does the word “Armadillo” ring a bell? No? Well think again! If you are a die hard fan of the Armageddon movie you will remember it as the high tech rover that saved the Earth. Now it’s out there for real but its not the kind that was in the movie ; It’s a Northrop Grumman creation meant for the future moon landing missions.Further more this vehicle is designed to vertically hover and land on the surface with the help of a rocket situated at the bottom.

Northrop Grumman tested their very own first prototype and successfully completed a mock lunar landing thus qualifying its team to win a $1 million prize offered for NASA’s Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge. The vehicle built by Armadillo Aerospace, ascended 164 feet into the air, flew over to land on a simulated rocky lunar surface 164 feet away, and then rose and flew back to land where it started.

This achievement has paved way to new hopes of returning back to the Moon. But NASA is already in trouble, with their shuttle fleet grounded, the agency will get limited funds and because of the recent inflation in U.S.A, NASA might not get the funds for their moon mission and beyond. However, the private companies could play an increasingly important role in space exploration. For more info click Armadillo.

Courtesy: X Prize, Northrop Grumman

Related posts:

1. Moon: Coldest Place In Our Solar System?
2. Robotic Lunar Lander
3. 29 Teams Signed Up For Google Lunar Competition
4. The HD Moon
5. The Full Moon