Nasa Morpheus Project Vehicle Test Looks Like A Sci-Fi Film

So this happened...

This, ladies and gents, is Nasa's rather nifty Project Morpheus - a prototype planetary lander capable of vertical takeoff and landing.

The martian environment in the photo above is actually a mockup at the world famous Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility.

Morpheus uses a liquid oxygen (LOX)/liquid methane propulsion system with up to 321 second burn time.

Although still very much in the development stage, futture missions could include:

• Carry humanoid robot, rover or propellant lab to lunar landing;
• Rendezvous and propellant transfer demonstrations in Earth orbit;
• Potential asteroid rendezvous.

And if you like that video, be sure to check out this one of a SpaceX Grasshopper launch test.