Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 |
SpaceX Grasshopper Rocket Lands On Its Tail
For decades, sf fans have dreamed of having rocket ships that can land on their tails, like sf writers intended. Even though there may be unanticipated consequences.
(Artwork by Ed Emshwiller, 1953)
Elon Musk's SpaceX rockets are intended to be reusable - and yes, they are intended to land on their tails. Take a look at this video, which combines Johnny Cash Ring of Fire action with actual tail fire-enabled take-offs and landings.
(SpaceX Johnny Cash Ring of Fire mashup)
SpaceX is currently working on a reusable rocket prototype, one that could “land safely anywhere on earth like a helicopter” after sending a given craft hurtling beyond our atmosphere to its destination. And damned if the company isn’t already part of the way there: Musk brought with him a video — set to Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire” — of a successful test of one of its 10-storey-high Grasshopper rising from a launchpad, hovering in the air for a short time and then softly descending to the ground on a cushion of boosters and landing gears. The test apparently only occurred “about a day and a half ago.”
“Yeah, so it worked. You’re the first people to see that video — even including SpaceX — apart from the video editor who sent it to me half an hour before this,” said Musk. “So far I’ve not been very successful in that regard, but I think we’ve got a handle on it.”
Now, of course, the goal is to go “higher and further.” All in service, Musk says, of putting the prospect of establishing a human base on another planet — Mars is the dream — within our technological and economic reach.
“It’s really got nothing to do with competing with NASA. It’s more about what do we do to have an exciting and inspiring future in space,” he said. “People need to believe that it’s possible, and that it isn’t going to bankrupt them, (that) they’re not going to have to give up health care.”
From The Star via Next Big Future.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 3/8/2013)
Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |
Would
you like to contribute a story tip?
It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add
it here.
Comment/Join discussion ( 2 )
Related News Stories - (" Space Tech ")
Denmark Joins The 'Zero Debris Charter' To Clean Up Space
'Then their lasers vaporized the smaller satellites...' Arthur C. Clarke, 1978.
Starship Special Edition For Lunar Shuttle
Love those special edition spaceships.
Capturing Asteroids With Nets
'...the meteor caught and halted just as a small boy catches a swift ball in his cap.' V.E. Thiessen, 1947.
Project Hyperion - Generation Ship Designers Needed!
'We have decided that it shall be but one ship... it must contain everything needed to take us through the generations.' - Judson Reeves, 1930.
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
Current News
Nano-Chainmail 2D Mechanically Interlocked Polymer
'Nemourlon armor of reasonable weight resists penetration by most fragments and any bullet that is not both reasonably heavy and fairly high-velocity.'
Anker's SOLIX Solar Umbrella Portable Power
As predicted by science fiction thirty-five years ago!
Positioned Cybertrucks With Free Starlinks WiFi In LA
'Several thousand of them formed the positioning grid on the rubble pile.'
AI-THu Shapeshifting Transformer Home
'Its slack walls tightened, bulged, were crossed by ripples and waves of movement.'
Xiaomi Self-Driving Self-Balancing Scooter
'Norman... had never ridden any motorized device that lacked onboard steering and balance systems.'
Transparent 4K OLED Wireless TV From LG
You will note that HG Wells also figured out the aspect ratio of the future!
TSA 2 - Advanced Thermosensory Stimulator Is A Dune Pain Box
'As though a switch had been turned off, the pain stopped...'
Humans Love Helping Other Species
'At the ringside opposite them a table had been removed to make room for a large transparent plastic capsule on wheels.'
Organic Non-Planar 3D Printing
'It makes drawings in the air following drawings...'
Your Window For Being A Tesla Optimus Remote Operator May Be Closing
'... he realized that the moving thing inside was - of course - a robot.'
Waymo Autonomous Cab Hits Autonomous Delivery Robot
'Not since the time he rewired the delivery robot...'
Amazing Wheel Shapeshifting In Real Time
'Each spoke telescopes into sections.'
Drone With Face Recognition Could Hunt You
'The spotter descends, and we think it searches the vicinity, looking for the victim’s face...'
Jizai Arms 'Free Limbs' Wearable Cyborg Arms
'Guy named Otto Octavius winds up with eight limbs. Four mechanical arms welded right onto his body. What are the odds?'
SwagBot Robotic AI Cattle-Herding From Down Under
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me!
ChatGPT Tries To Bypass Shutdown Commands
'Dave, my mind is going... I can feel it...'
