Gizmodo: Latest Design Tweaks Reshape Rocket Lab’s Upcoming Neutron Rocket https://gizmodo.com/rocket-lab-redesigns-its-upcoming-neutron-rocket-1850685843 #spacelaunchmarketcompetition #reusablelaunchvehicle #spacexlaunchvehicles #spacelaunchvehicles #rocketpropulsion #rocketlabneutron #launchvehicle #rocketlab #peterbeck #gridfin #falcon9 #gizmodo #spacex #falcon #vtvl

Two groups of #NASA #engineers joined forces for #ProjectMorpheus. A vertical take off and landing #VTVL vehicle fueled by liquid #methane and liquid oxygen #LOX. Another team developed the #ALHAT technology, which would scan the #terrain as a the lander descended, and pick a safe landing site itself.
For testing, a simulated #lunar “hazard field” was made at the end of #KSC / Kennedy Space Centers’s #Shuttle Landing Facility.
#Morpheus was to tested in stages. At first, the vehicle would be tethered and make short vertical hops on the flat landing strip for the #SpaceShuttle. Then it would fly freely, and then freely further downrange but still onto the landing strip, then to a designated safe zone in the simulated #Moon terrain, while ALHAT scanned. Finally, there would be an all-up test and ALHAT would choose the landing site.
Morpheus exploded on its second free flight attempt.
A second vehicle was built and tested successfully.
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/a-little-piece-of-the-moon-in-florida-heron-and-fox.html