"Jacques van Oene" wrote in message
...
LOCKHEED MARTIN SCORES SUCCESS WITH LANDING TECHNOLOGY TESTS FOR A FUTURE
ASTRONAUT CREW EXPLORATION VEHICLE

FARNBOROUGH AIR SHOW, July 19, 2004

Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has successfully performed a series of drop
tests at the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground in Yuma, Ariz., to validate
soft
landing technology that can be used for astronaut crew capsules upon
return
to Earth. The technology makes use of an array of dual airbags that, upon
ground impact, releases air from the outer bags of the system, allowing
the
capsule to settle softly to the ground on its inner airbags.

Interesting. Real testing being done with capsule applications. This seems
to indicate that Lockheed Martin seriously believes that the CEV will be a
capsule based design, not some winged or lifting body design that NASA was
in love with from the late 60's through the 90's.

How many times has the discussion come up in these groups where capsules are
"put down" due to their harsh landing mode (with previous capsules used to
"prove" that this is so). Using this dual airbag technology seems to
eliminate this problem.

Jeff
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