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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Project Morpheus prototype lander’s engine begins to fire during a tether test at the north end of the Shuttle Landing Facility. During the test, the lander is lifted 20 feet by crane, and will ascend another 10 feet, maneuver backwards 10 feet, and then fly forward and descend to its original position, landing at the end of the tether onto a transportable launch platform. Testing of the prototype lander was performed at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for tethered and free flight testing at Kennedy. The landing facility will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing, complete with rocks, craters and hazards to avoid. Morpheus utilizes an autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology, or ALHAT, payload that will allow it to navigate to clear landing sites amidst rocks, craters and other hazards during its descent. Project Morpheus is being managed under the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, Division in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. The efforts in AES pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://morpheuslander.jsc.nasa.gov. Photo credit: NASA/Daniel Casper KSC-2013-4285

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Project Morpheus prototype lander’s engine begins to fire during a tether test at the north end of the Shuttle Landing Facility. During the ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is being transported out from its checkout building for a short trip to a launch position at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis KSC-2012-4110

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed veh...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is being transported out from its checkout building for a short trip to a launch position at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Kennedy Space Center engineer Marc Seibert presents the Communication Award to the University of New Hampshire team members during NASA's 2014 Robotic Mining Competition award ceremony inside the Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. The team moved 10 kilograms of simulated Martian soil with its robot while using the least amount of communication power. More than 35 teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. designed and built remote-controlled robots for the mining competition. The competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to engage and retain students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, fields by expanding opportunities for student research and design. Teams use their remote-controlled robotics to maneuver and dig in a supersized sandbox filled with a crushed material that has characteristics similar to Martian soil. The objective of the challenge is to see which team’s robot can collect and move the most regolith within a specified amount of time. The competition includes on-site mining, writing a systems engineering paper, performing outreach projects for K-12 students, slide presentation and demonstrations, and team spirit. For more information, visit www.nasa.gov/nasarmc. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett 2014-2685

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Kennedy Space Center engineer Marc Seibert pre...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Kennedy Space Center engineer Marc Seibert presents the Communication Award to the University of New Hampshire team members during NASA's 2014 Robotic Mining Competition award ceremony i... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Steady progress is made on the construction of the hazard field for the Project Morpheus lander near the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Testing of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing, complete with rocks, craters and hazards to avoid. Morpheus utilizes an autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology, or ALHAT, payload that will allow it to navigate to clear landing sites amidst rocks, craters and other hazards during its descent. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3659

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Steady progress is made on the construction of ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Steady progress is made on the construction of the hazard field for the Project Morpheus lander near the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Te... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – From left, Chirold Epp, the Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, project manager, and Jon Olansen, Morpheus project manager, speak to members of the media near the north end of the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Media also viewed Morpheus inside a facility near the landing facility. Project Morpheus tests NASA’s ALHAT and an engine that runs on liquid oxygen and methane, which are green propellants. These new capabilities could be used in future efforts to deliver cargo to planetary surfaces. The landing facility provides the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing, complete with rocks, craters and hazards to avoid. Morpheus’ ALHAT payload allows it to navigate to clear landing sites amidst rocks, craters and other hazards during its descent. Project Morpheus is being managed under the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, Division in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. The efforts in AES pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://morpheuslander.jsc.nasa.gov/. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin KSC-2014-2644

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – From left, Chirold Epp, the Autonomous Landing ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – From left, Chirold Epp, the Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, project manager, and Jon Olansen, Morpheus project manager, speak to members of the media near th... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Steady progress is made to prepare equipment for construction of the launch platform for the Project Morpheus lander at the midfield of the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Testing of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing, complete with rocks, craters and hazards to avoid. Morpheus utilizes an autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology, or ALHAT, payload that will allow it to navigate to clear landing sites amidst rocks, craters and other hazards during its descent. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3747

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Steady progress is made to prepare equipment fo...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Steady progress is made to prepare equipment for construction of the launch platform for the Project Morpheus lander at the midfield of the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASA’s Ken... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA's Project Morpheus prototype lander is being transported to the north end of the Shuttle Landing Facility for free flight test number 15 at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The lander will take off from the ground over a flame trench and use its autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology, or ALHAT sensors, to survey the hazard field to determine safe landing sites. Project Morpheus tests NASA’s ALHAT and an engine that runs on liquid oxygen and methane, which are green propellants. These new capabilities could be used in future efforts to deliver cargo to planetary surfaces. Project Morpheus is being managed under the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, Division in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://morpheuslander.jsc.nasa.gov/. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann KSC-2014-4799

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA's Project Morpheus prototype lander is bei...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA's Project Morpheus prototype lander is being transported to the north end of the Shuttle Landing Facility for free flight test number 15 at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Th... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA's Project Morpheus prototype lander is prepared for transport to the north end of the Shuttle Landing Facility for free flight test number 15 at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The lander will take off from the ground over a flame trench and use its autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology, or ALHAT sensors, to survey the hazard field to determine safe landing sites. Project Morpheus tests NASA’s ALHAT and an engine that runs on liquid oxygen and methane, which are green propellants. These new capabilities could be used in future efforts to deliver cargo to planetary surfaces. Project Morpheus is being managed under the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, Division in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://morpheuslander.jsc.nasa.gov/. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann KSC-2014-4804

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA's Project Morpheus prototype lander is pre...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA's Project Morpheus prototype lander is prepared for transport to the north end of the Shuttle Landing Facility for free flight test number 15 at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florid... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At the north end of the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle is being checked out. A rock and crater-filled planetary scape, has been built so engineers can test the Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system on the Project Morpheus lander. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-4163

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At the north end of the Shuttle Landing Facilit...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At the north end of the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle is being checked out. A rock and crat... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A technician prepares the Project Morpheus prototype lander for a second free flight test at the north end of the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Testing of the prototype lander was performed at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for tethered and free flight testing at Kennedy. Project Morpheus integrates NASA’s automated landing and hazard avoidance technology, or ALHAT, with an engine that runs on liquid oxygen and methane, or green propellants, into a fully-operational lander that could deliver cargo to other planetary surfaces. The landing facility will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing, complete with rocks, craters and hazards to avoid. Morpheus’ ALHAT payload allows it to navigate to clear landing sites amidst rocks, craters and other hazards during its descent. Project Morpheus is being managed under the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, Division in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. The efforts in AES pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://morpheuslander.jsc.nasa.gov. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis KSC-2013-4368

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A technician prepares the Project Morpheus pro...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A technician prepares the Project Morpheus prototype lander for a second free flight test at the north end of the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Test... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The first free-flight test of NASA's Morpheus prototype lander was conducted at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The 98-second test began at 10:02 p.m. EDT with the Morpheus lander launching from the ground over a flame trench and ascending more than 800 feet. The vehicle, with its autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology, or ALHAT sensors, surveyed the hazard field to determine safe landing sites. Morpheus then flew forward and downward covering approximately 1,300 feet while performing a 78-foot divert to simulate a hazard avoidance maneuver. The lander then descended and landed on a dedicated pad inside the test field. Project Morpheus tests NASA’s ALHAT and an engine that runs on liquid oxygen and methane, which are green propellants. These new capabilities could be used in future efforts to deliver cargo to planetary surfaces. The landing facility provides the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing, complete with rocks, craters and hazards to avoid. Morpheus’ ALHAT payload allows it to navigate to clear landing sites amidst rocks, craters and other hazards during its descent. Project Morpheus is being managed under the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, Division in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. The efforts in AES pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://morpheuslander.jsc.nasa.gov/. Photo credit: NASA/Mike Chambers KSC-2014-2707

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The first free-flight test of NASA's Morpheus ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The first free-flight test of NASA's Morpheus prototype lander was conducted at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The 98-second test began at 10:02 ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is moved into a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser KSC-2012-4029

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed veh...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is moved into a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demo... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –NASA's Project Morpheus prototype lander performed a free-flight test from a launch pad at the north end of the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The 97-second test began at 2:30 p.m. EDT with the Morpheus lander launching from the ground over a flame trench and ascending more than 800 feet. The vehicle, with its recently installed autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology, or ALHAT, sensors surveyed the hazard field to determine safe landing sites. Morpheus then flew forward and downward covering approximately 1,300 feet while performing a 78-foot divert to simulate a hazard avoidance maneuver. The lander descended and landed on a dedicated pad inside the ALHAT hazard field. Project Morpheus tests NASA’s ALHAT and an engine that runs on liquid oxygen and methane, which are green propellants. These new capabilities could be used in future efforts to deliver cargo to planetary surfaces. The landing facility provides the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing, complete with rocks, craters and hazards to avoid. Morpheus’ ALHAT payload allows it to navigate to clear landing sites amidst rocks, craters and other hazards during its descent. Project Morpheus is being managed under the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, Division in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. The efforts in AES pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://morpheuslander.jsc.nasa.gov/. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2014-2665

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –NASA's Project Morpheus prototype lander perform...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –NASA's Project Morpheus prototype lander performed a free-flight test from a launch pad at the north end of the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The 97-s... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians work on the buildup of a movable launch platform for the Project Morpheus lander at the midfield of the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF. Testing of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for free flight. The SLF will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing, complete with rocks, craters and hazards to avoid. Morpheus utilizes an autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology, or ALHAT, payload that will allow it to navigate to clear landing sites amidst rocks, craters and other hazards during its descent. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann KSC-2013-3109

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, tech...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians work on the buildup of a movable launch platform for the Project Morpheus lander at the midfield of the Shuttle Landing Facility, or... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Engineers and technicians prepare NASA's Project Morpheus prototype lander for free flight test number 15 on a launch pad at the north end of the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The lander will take off from the ground over a flame trench and use its autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology, or ALHAT sensors, to survey the hazard field to determine safe landing sites. Project Morpheus tests NASA’s ALHAT and an engine that runs on liquid oxygen and methane, which are green propellants. These new capabilities could be used in future efforts to deliver cargo to planetary surfaces. Project Morpheus is being managed under the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, Division in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://morpheuslander.jsc.nasa.gov/. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann KSC-2014-4802

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Engineers and technicians prepare NASA's Projec...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Engineers and technicians prepare NASA's Project Morpheus prototype lander for free flight test number 15 on a launch pad at the north end of the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kenned... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, smoke fills the air as the Project Morpheus prototype lander’s engine fires during a tether test at the north end of the Shuttle Landing Facility. During the test, the lander was lifted 20 feet by crane, and then ascended another 10 feet, maneuvered backwards 10 feet, and then flew forward. It will descend to its original position, landing at the end of the tether onto a transportable launch platform. Testing of the prototype lander was performed at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for tethered and free flight testing at Kennedy. The landing facility will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing, complete with rocks, craters and hazards to avoid. Morpheus utilizes an autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology, or ALHAT, payload that will allow it to navigate to clear landing sites amidst rocks, craters and other hazards during its descent. Project Morpheus is being managed under the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, Division in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. The efforts in AES pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://morpheuslander.jsc.nasa.gov. Photo credit: NASA/Daniel Casper KSC-2013-4289

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, smok...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, smoke fills the air as the Project Morpheus prototype lander’s engine fires during a tether test at the north end of the Shuttle Landing Facilit... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The first free flight of the Project Morpheus prototype lander was conducted at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Smoke fills the air as the engine fires and the Morpheus lander launched from the ground over a flame trench. During the 54-second test, it ascended approximately 50 feet, and hovered for about 15 seconds. The lander then flew forward and landed on its pad about 23 feet from the launch point. Testing of the prototype lander was performed at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for tethered and free flight testing at Kennedy. Project Morpheus integrates NASA’s automated landing and hazard avoidance technology, or ALHAT, with an engine that runs on liquid oxygen and methane, or green propellants, into a fully-operational lander that could deliver cargo to asteroids and other planetary surfaces. The landing facility will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing, complete with rocks, craters and hazards to avoid. Morpheus’ ALHAT payload allows it to navigate to clear landing sites amidst rocks, craters and other hazards during its descent. Project Morpheus is being managed under the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, Division in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. The efforts in AES pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://morpheuslander.jsc.nasa.gov. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2013-4325

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The first free flight of the Project Morpheus p...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The first free flight of the Project Morpheus prototype lander was conducted at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Smoke fills the air as the engine f... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The first free flight of the Project Morpheus prototype lander was conducted at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Smoke fills the air as the engine fires and the Morpheus lander launched from the ground over a flame trench. During the 54-second test, it ascended approximately 50 feet, and hovered for about 15 seconds. The lander then flew forward and landed on its pad about 23 feet from the launch point. Testing of the prototype lander was performed at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for tethered and free flight testing at Kennedy. Project Morpheus integrates NASA’s automated landing and hazard avoidance technology, or ALHAT, with an engine that runs on liquid oxygen and methane, or green propellants, into a fully-operational lander that could deliver cargo to asteroids and other planetary surfaces. The landing facility will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing, complete with rocks, craters and hazards to avoid. Morpheus’ ALHAT payload allows it to navigate to clear landing sites amidst rocks, craters and other hazards during its descent. Project Morpheus is being managed under the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, Division in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. The efforts in AES pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://morpheuslander.jsc.nasa.gov. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2013-4324

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The first free flight of the Project Morpheus p...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The first free flight of the Project Morpheus prototype lander was conducted at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Smoke fills the air as the engine f... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Engineers and technicians prepare the Project Morpheus prototype lander for a second free flight test at the north end of the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Testing of the prototype lander was performed at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for tethered and free flight testing at Kennedy. Project Morpheus integrates NASA’s automated landing and hazard avoidance technology, or ALHAT, with an engine that runs on liquid oxygen and methane, or green propellants, into a fully-operational lander that could deliver cargo to other planetary surfaces. The landing facility will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing, complete with rocks, craters and hazards to avoid. Morpheus’ ALHAT payload allows it to navigate to clear landing sites amidst rocks, craters and other hazards during its descent. Project Morpheus is being managed under the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, Division in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. The efforts in AES pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://morpheuslander.jsc.nasa.gov. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis KSC-2013-4369

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Engineers and technicians prepare the Project ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Engineers and technicians prepare the Project Morpheus prototype lander for a second free flight test at the north end of the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in F... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Representatives from aerospace industry partners and the media are given an overview on NASA's Commercial Crew Program's next steps during a strategy forum held in the Press Site auditorium at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. On the dais, from left, are Candrea Thomas, NASA Public Affairs; Phil McAlister, director, Commercial Spaceflight Development in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, and Brent Jeff, deputy director, Commercial Crew Program. The goal of the Commercial Crew Program is to have a commercially developed, human-capable, certified spacecraft safely flying astronauts into orbit and to the International Space Station by the middle of the decade. For more information about NASA's Commercial Crew Program, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/commercial. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann KSC-2011-6999

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Representatives from aerospace industry partne...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Representatives from aerospace industry partners and the media are given an overview on NASA's Commercial Crew Program's next steps during a strategy forum held in the Press Site auditor... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Students from the University of New Hampshire, in Durham, N.H., put their lunabot through its paces during a practice session for the third annual Lunabotics Mining Competition at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 50 teams of undergraduate and graduate students from eight countries are participating. The teams have designed and built remote-controlled or autonomous robots that can excavate simulated lunar soil. During the competition, the teams' designs, known as lunabots, will go head-to-head to determine whose machine can collect and deposit the most simulated moon dust within a specified amount of time. The competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to engage and retain students in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, fields of study. The project provides a competitive environment that may result in innovative ideas and solutions that potentially could be applied to future NASA missions. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/lunabotics. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin KSC-2012-2887

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Students from the University of New Hampshire, ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Students from the University of New Hampshire, in Durham, N.H., put their lunabot through its paces during a practice session for the third annual Lunabotics Mining Competition at NASA’s ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Practice sessions get under way for the third annual Lunabotics Mining Competition at the Rocket Garden at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 50 teams of undergraduate and graduate students from eight countries are participating. The teams have designed and built remote-controlled or autonomous robots that can excavate simulated lunar soil. During the competition, the teams' designs, known as lunabots, will go head-to-head to determine whose machine can collect and deposit the most simulated moon dust within a specified amount of time. The competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to engage and retain students in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, fields of study. The project provides a competitive environment that may result in innovative ideas and solutions that potentially could be applied to future NASA missions. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/lunabotics. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin KSC-2012-2886

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Practice sessions get under way for the third a...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Practice sessions get under way for the third annual Lunabotics Mining Competition at the Rocket Garden at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 50 teams o... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A colorful lunabot built by the students from the Florida Institute of Technology, in Melbourne, Fla., is prepared for the “smackdown” coming during the third annual Lunabotics Mining Competition at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 50 teams of undergraduate and graduate students from eight countries are participating. The teams have designed and built remote-controlled or autonomous robots that can excavate simulated lunar soil. During the competition, the teams' designs, known as lunabots, will go head-to-head to determine whose machine can collect and deposit the most simulated moon dust within a specified amount of time. The competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to engage and retain students in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, fields of study. The project provides a competitive environment that may result in innovative ideas and solutions that potentially could be applied to future NASA missions. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/lunabotics. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin KSC-2012-2885

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A colorful lunabot built by the students from t...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A colorful lunabot built by the students from the Florida Institute of Technology, in Melbourne, Fla., is prepared for the “smackdown” coming during the third annual Lunabotics Mining Com... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – “Snoopy” catches a ride aboard the lunabot built by the students from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, in Daytona Beach, Fla., during a practice session for the third annual Lunabotics Mining Competition at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 50 teams of undergraduate and graduate students from eight countries are participating. The teams have designed and built remote-controlled or autonomous robots that can excavate simulated lunar soil. During the competition, the teams' designs, known as lunabots, will go head-to-head to determine whose machine can collect and deposit the most simulated moon dust within a specified amount of time. The competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to engage and retain students in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, fields of study. The project provides a competitive environment that may result in innovative ideas and solutions that potentially could be applied to future NASA missions. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/lunabotics. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin KSC-2012-2884

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – “Snoopy” catches a ride aboard the lunabot buil...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – “Snoopy” catches a ride aboard the lunabot built by the students from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, in Daytona Beach, Fla., during a practice session for the third annual Lunaboti... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Participating in a post-launch news conference in the Press Site auditorium at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida are, from left, George H. Diller, NASA Public Affairs, William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator of NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Directorate, Alan Lindenmoyer, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew and Cargo Program, and Gwynne Shotwell, president of SpaceX. The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched into space at 3:44 a.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The launch is the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Program, or COTS. During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-2906

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Participating in a post-launch news conference ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Participating in a post-launch news conference in the Press Site auditorium at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida are, from left, George H. Diller, NASA Public Affairs, William Gerste... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Participating in a post-launch news conference in the Press Site auditorium at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida are, from left, George H. Diller, NASA Public Affairs, William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator of NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Directorate, Alan Lindenmoyer, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew and Cargo Program, and Gwynne Shotwell, president of SpaceX. Also participating by video teleconference, on the screen at right, is Elon Musk, chief executive officer and chief designer for SpaceX. The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched into space at 3:44 a.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The launch is the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Program, or COTS. During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-2907

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Participating in a post-launch news conference ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Participating in a post-launch news conference in the Press Site auditorium at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida are, from left, George H. Diller, NASA Public Affairs, William Gerste... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – From left, William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator of NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Directorate, Alan Lindenmoyer, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew and Cargo Program, and Gwynne Shotwell, president of SpaceX, are all smiles during a post-launch news conference in the Press Site auditorium at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched into space at 3:44 a.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The launch is the company's second demonstration test flight for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Program, or COTS. During the flight, the capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including rendezvous and berthing with the International Space Station. If the capsule performs as planned, the cargo and experiments it is carrying will be transferred to the station. The cargo includes food, water and provisions for the station’s Expedition crews, such as clothing, batteries and computer equipment. Under COTS, NASA has partnered with two aerospace companies to deliver cargo to the station. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-2910

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – From left, William Gerstenmaier, associate admi...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – From left, William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator of NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Directorate, Alan Lindenmoyer, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew and Cargo Program, and... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Steady progress is made on the construction of the hazard field for the Project Morpheus lander near the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Testing of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing, complete with rocks, craters and hazards to avoid. Morpheus utilizes an autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology, or ALHAT, payload that will allow it to navigate to clear landing sites amidst rocks, craters and other hazards during its descent. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3654

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Steady progress is made on the construction of ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Steady progress is made on the construction of the hazard field for the Project Morpheus lander near the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Te... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Steady progress is made on the construction of the hazard field for the Project Morpheus lander near the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Testing of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing, complete with rocks, craters and hazards to avoid. Morpheus utilizes an autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology, or ALHAT, payload that will allow it to navigate to clear landing sites amidst rocks, craters and other hazards during its descent. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3653

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Steady progress is made on the construction of ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Steady progress is made on the construction of the hazard field for the Project Morpheus lander near the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Te... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Steady progress is made on the construction of the hazard field for the Project Morpheus lander near the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Testing of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing, complete with rocks, craters and hazards to avoid. Morpheus utilizes an autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology, or ALHAT, payload that will allow it to navigate to clear landing sites amidst rocks, craters and other hazards during its descent. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3658

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Steady progress is made on the construction of ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Steady progress is made on the construction of the hazard field for the Project Morpheus lander near the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Te... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Steady progress is made on the construction of the hazard field for the Project Morpheus lander near the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Testing of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing, complete with rocks, craters and hazards to avoid. Morpheus utilizes an autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology, or ALHAT, payload that will allow it to navigate to clear landing sites amidst rocks, craters and other hazards during its descent. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3660

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Steady progress is made on the construction of ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Steady progress is made on the construction of the hazard field for the Project Morpheus lander near the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Te... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Steady progress is made on the construction of the hazard field for the Project Morpheus lander near the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Testing of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing, complete with rocks, craters and hazards to avoid. Morpheus utilizes an autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology, or ALHAT, payload that will allow it to navigate to clear landing sites amidst rocks, craters and other hazards during its descent. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3657

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Steady progress is made on the construction of ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Steady progress is made on the construction of the hazard field for the Project Morpheus lander near the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Te... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Steady progress is made on the construction of the hazard field for the Project Morpheus lander near the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Testing of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing, complete with rocks, craters and hazards to avoid. Morpheus utilizes an autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology, or ALHAT, payload that will allow it to navigate to clear landing sites amidst rocks, craters and other hazards during its descent. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3656

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Steady progress is made on the construction of ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Steady progress is made on the construction of the hazard field for the Project Morpheus lander near the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Te... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Steady progress is made on the construction of the hazard field for the Project Morpheus lander near the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Testing of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing, complete with rocks, craters and hazards to avoid. Morpheus utilizes an autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology, or ALHAT, payload that will allow it to navigate to clear landing sites amidst rocks, craters and other hazards during its descent. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3655

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Steady progress is made on the construction of ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Steady progress is made on the construction of the hazard field for the Project Morpheus lander near the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Testi... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Workers prepare equipment for construction of the launch platform for the Project Morpheus lander at the midfield of the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Testing of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing, complete with rocks, craters and hazards to avoid. Morpheus utilizes an autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology, or ALHAT, payload that will allow it to navigate to clear landing sites amidst rocks, craters and other hazards during its descent. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3748

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Workers prepare equipment for construction of t...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Workers prepare equipment for construction of the launch platform for the Project Morpheus lander at the midfield of the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center i... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Workers begin construction of the launch platform for the Project Morpheus lander at the midfield of the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Testing of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing, complete with rocks, craters and hazards to avoid. Morpheus utilizes an autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology, or ALHAT, payload that will allow it to navigate to clear landing sites amidst rocks, craters and other hazards during its descent. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3749

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Workers begin construction of the launch platfo...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Workers begin construction of the launch platform for the Project Morpheus lander at the midfield of the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Te... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Workers begin construction of the launch platform for the Project Morpheus lander at the midfield of the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Testing of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing, complete with rocks, craters and hazards to avoid. Morpheus utilizes an autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology, or ALHAT, payload that will allow it to navigate to clear landing sites amidst rocks, craters and other hazards during its descent. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3751

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Workers begin construction of the launch platfo...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Workers begin construction of the launch platform for the Project Morpheus lander at the midfield of the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Te... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Workers begin construction of the launch platform for the Project Morpheus lander at the midfield of the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Testing of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing, complete with rocks, craters and hazards to avoid. Morpheus utilizes an autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology, or ALHAT, payload that will allow it to navigate to clear landing sites amidst rocks, craters and other hazards during its descent. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3752

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Workers begin construction of the launch platfo...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Workers begin construction of the launch platform for the Project Morpheus lander at the midfield of the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Te... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Workers begin construction of the launch platform for the Project Morpheus lander at the midfield of the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Testing of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing, complete with rocks, craters and hazards to avoid. Morpheus utilizes an autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology, or ALHAT, payload that will allow it to navigate to clear landing sites amidst rocks, craters and other hazards during its descent. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3750

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Workers begin construction of the launch platfo...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Workers begin construction of the launch platform for the Project Morpheus lander at the midfield of the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Te... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –This panoramic view shows a rock and crater-filled planetary scape has been built so engineers can test the Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT system on the Project Morpheus lander. Testing will demonstrate ALHAT’s ability to provide required navigation data negotiating the Morpheus lander away from risks during descent. Checkout of the prot otype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-4008

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –This panoramic view shows a rock and crater-fill...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –This panoramic view shows a rock and crater-filled planetary scape has been built so engineers can test the Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT system on the Proje... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –This aerial view shows a rock and crater-filled planetary scape that has been built at the north end of the Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility. The site will allow engineers to test the Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT system on the Project Morpheus lander. Testing will demonstrate ALHAT’s ability to provide required navigation data negotiating the Morpheus lander away from risks during descent. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3945

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –This aerial view shows a rock and crater-filled ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –This aerial view shows a rock and crater-filled planetary scape that has been built at the north end of the Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility. The site will allow engineers t... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the 15,000-foot long Shuttle Landing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla. At the north end of the runway, to the right, is a rock and crater-filled planetary scape has been built so engineers can test the Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT system on the Project Morpheus lander. Testing will demonstrate ALHAT’s ability to provide required navigation data negotiating the Morpheus lander away from risks during descent. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3953

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the 15,000-foot long Shu...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the 15,000-foot long Shuttle Landing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla. At the north end of the runway, to the right, is a rock and crater-filled planetary ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows a 50,000-square-foot hangar located on the Shuttle Landing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla., providing shelter and storage for NASA and non-NASA aircraft and maintenance operations. Adjacent to the hangar is an operations building housing personnel who support operations at the 15,000-foot long concrete runway. At the north end of the runway, a rock and crater-filled planetary scape has been built so engineers can test the Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT system on the Project Morpheus lander. Testing will demonstrate ALHAT’s ability to provide required navigation data negotiating the Morpheus lander away from risks during descent. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3956

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows a 50,000-square-foot han...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows a 50,000-square-foot hangar located on the Shuttle Landing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla., providing shelter and storage for NASA and non-NASA aircraft ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the 15,000-foot long Shuttle Landing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla. At the north end of the runway, to the bottom, is a rock and crater-filled planetary scape has been built so engineers can test the Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT system on the Project Morpheus lander. Testing will demonstrate ALHAT’s ability to provide required navigation data negotiating the Morpheus lander away from risks during descent. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3954

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the 15,000-foot long Shu...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the 15,000-foot long Shuttle Landing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla. At the north end of the runway, to the bottom, is a rock and crater-filled planetary... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Just north of the Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility runway, a rock and crater-filled planetary scape has been built so engineers can test the Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT system on the Project Morpheus lander. Testing will demonstrate ALHAT’s ability to provide required navigation data negotiating the Morpheus lander away from risks during descent. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3942

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Just north of the Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttl...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Just north of the Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility runway, a rock and crater-filled planetary scape has been built so engineers can test the Autonomous Landing and Hazard A... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the north end of the Kennedy Space Center’s 15,000-foot long Shuttle Landing Facility. On the far left at the end of the runway, a rock and crater-filled planetary scape has been built so engineers can test the Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT system on the Project Morpheus lander. Testing will demonstrate ALHAT’s ability to provide required navigation data negotiating the Morpheus lander away from risks during descent. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3943

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the north end of the Ken...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the north end of the Kennedy Space Center’s 15,000-foot long Shuttle Landing Facility. On the far left at the end of the runway, a rock and crater-filled planetary ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the north end of the Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility. At the end of the runway is a rock and crater-filled planetary scape has been built so engineers can test the Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT system on the Project Morpheus lander. Testing will demonstrate ALHAT’s ability to provide required navigation data negotiating the Morpheus lander away from risks during descent. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3950

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the north end of the Ken...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the north end of the Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility. At the end of the runway is a rock and crater-filled planetary scape has been built so enginee... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows a rock and crater-filled planetary scape that has been built at the north end of the Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility. The site will allow engineers to test the Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT system on the Project Morpheus lander. Testing will demonstrate ALHAT’s ability to provide required navigation data negotiating the Morpheus lander away from risks during descent. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3946

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows a rock and crater-filled...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows a rock and crater-filled planetary scape that has been built at the north end of the Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility. The site will allow engineers ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the Shuttle Landing Facility’s air traffic control tower at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Just below the tower is the mid-field park site used for runway support vehicles. At the north end of the runway, a rock and crater-filled planetary scape has been built so engineers can test the Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT system on the Project Morpheus lander. Testing will demonstrate ALHAT’s ability to provide required navigation data negotiating the Morpheus lander away from risks during descent. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3955

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the Shuttle Landing Faci...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the Shuttle Landing Facility’s air traffic control tower at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Just below the tower is the mid-field park site used for runway sup... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the north end of the Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility. At the end of the runway is a rock and crater-filled planetary scape has been built so engineers can test the Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT system on the Project Morpheus lander. Testing will demonstrate ALHAT’s ability to provide required navigation data negotiating the Morpheus lander away from risks during descent. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3951

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the north end of the Ken...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the north end of the Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility. At the end of the runway is a rock and crater-filled planetary scape has been built so enginee... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Just north of the Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, a rock and crater-filled planetary scape has been built so engineers can test the Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system on the Project Morpheus lander. Testing will demonstrate ALHAT’s ability to provide required navigation data negotiating the Morpheus lander away from risks during descent. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3941

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Just north of the Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttl...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Just north of the Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, a rock and crater-filled planetary scape has been built so engineers can test the Autonomous Landing and Hazard ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the north end of the Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility. At the end of the runway is a rock and crater-filled planetary scape has been built so engineers can test the Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT system on the Project Morpheus lander. Testing will demonstrate ALHAT’s ability to provide required navigation data negotiating the Morpheus lander away from risks during descent. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3947

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the north end of the Ken...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the north end of the Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility. At the end of the runway is a rock and crater-filled planetary scape has been built so enginee... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the north end of the Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility. At the end of the runway, in the upper right, a rock and crater-filled planetary scape has been built so engineers can test the Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT system on the Project Morpheus lander. Testing will demonstrate ALHAT’s ability to provide required navigation data negotiating the Morpheus lander away from risks during descent. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3944

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the north end of the Ken...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the north end of the Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility. At the end of the runway, in the upper right, a rock and crater-filled planetary scape has bee... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the north end of the Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility. At the end of the runway, to the right, is a rock and crater-filled planetary scape has been built so engineers can test the Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT system on the Project Morpheus lander. Testing will demonstrate ALHAT’s ability to provide required navigation data negotiating the Morpheus lander away from risks during descent. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3952

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the north end of the Ken...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the north end of the Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility. At the end of the runway, to the right, is a rock and crater-filled planetary scape has been b... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the launch platform for the Project Morpheus lander at the midfield point of the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. At the north end of the runway is a rock and crater-filled planetary scape built so engineers can test the Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT system on the Morpheus lander. Testing will demonstrate ALHAT’s ability to provide required navigation data negotiating the Morpheus lander away from risks during descent. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3949

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the launch platform for ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the launch platform for the Project Morpheus lander at the midfield point of the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. At the... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the launch platform for the Project Morpheus lander at the midfield point of the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. At the north end of the runway is a rock and crater-filled planetary scape built so engineers can test the Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT system on the Morpheus lander. Testing will demonstrate ALHAT’s ability to provide required navigation data negotiating the Morpheus lander away from risks during descent. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3948

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the launch platform for ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This aerial view shows the launch platform for the Project Morpheus lander at the midfield point of the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. At the... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Support equipment for NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is unloaded at a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser KSC-2012-4026

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Support equipment for NASA's Morpheus lander, a...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Support equipment for NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is unloaded at a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morph... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is unloaded at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser KSC-2012-4012

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed veh...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is unloaded at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and au... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is uncrated after unloading at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser KSC-2012-4020

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed veh...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is uncrated after unloading at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsio... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A forklift is used at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to unload NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser KSC-2012-4017

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A forklift is used at the Kennedy Space Center ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A forklift is used at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to unload NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsio... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is ready to be uncrated at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser KSC-2012-4015

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed veh...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is ready to be uncrated at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion sy... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, has been moved into a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser KSC-2012-4031

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed veh...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, has been moved into a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed t... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is unloaded at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser KSC-2012-4013

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed veh...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is unloaded at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and au... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is unloaded at a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser KSC-2012-4011

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed veh...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is unloaded at a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to dem... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is unloaded at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser KSC-2012-4021

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed veh...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is unloaded at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and au... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, has been moved into a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser KSC-2012-4032

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed veh...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, has been moved into a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed t... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, has been unloaded at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser KSC-2012-4018

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed veh...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, has been unloaded at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Wheels are assembled for transporting NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle after its arrival at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser KSC-2012-4023

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Wheels are assembled for transporting NASA's Mo...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Wheels are assembled for transporting NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle after its arrival at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A crane supports unloading of NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser KSC-2012-4024

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A crane supports unloading of NASA's Morpheus l...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A crane supports unloading of NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propuls... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A truck transporting NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, heads towards the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for unloading. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser KSC-2012-4009

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A truck transporting NASA's Morpheus lander, a ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A truck transporting NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, heads towards the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for unloading. Morpheu... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is unloaded at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser KSC-2012-4014

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed veh...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is unloaded at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and au... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Support equipment for NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is moved into a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser KSC-2012-4027

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Support equipment for NASA's Morpheus lander, a...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Support equipment for NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is moved into a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morphe... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A truck transporting NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, arrives at a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for unloading. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser KSC-2012-4010

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A truck transporting NASA's Morpheus lander, a ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A truck transporting NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, arrives at a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for unloadi... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is inspected after unloading at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser KSC-2012-4019

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed veh...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is inspected after unloading at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsi... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A crane supports unloading of NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser KSC-2012-4025

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A crane supports unloading of NASA's Morpheus l...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A crane supports unloading of NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propuls... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is moved into a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser KSC-2012-4030

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed veh...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is moved into a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demo... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is unloaded at a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser KSC-2012-4016

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed veh...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is unloaded at a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to dem... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is moved into a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser KSC-2012-4028

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed veh...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is moved into a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demo... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Wheels are assembled for transporting NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle after its arrival at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Charisse Nahser KSC-2012-4022

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Wheels are assembled for transporting NASA's Mo...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Wheels are assembled for transporting NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle after its arrival at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Russell Romanella, director of Safety and Mission Assurance at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, kneeling on the left, is briefed on NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle. Morpheus is being checked out by technicians and engineers in a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at Kennedy. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis KSC-2012-4100

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Russell Romanella, director of Safety and Missi...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Russell Romanella, director of Safety and Mission Assurance at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, kneeling on the left, is briefed on NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehi... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Russell Romanella, director of Safety and Mission Assurance at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, center, is briefed on NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle. Morpheus is being checked out by technicians and engineers in a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at Kennedy. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis KSC-2012-4099

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Russell Romanella, director of Safety and Missi...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Russell Romanella, director of Safety and Mission Assurance at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, center, is briefed on NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle. Morpheus ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is checked out by technicians in a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis KSC-2012-4098

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed veh...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is checked out by technicians in a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Russell Romanella, director of Safety and Mission Assurance at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, left, is briefed on NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle. Morpheus is being checked out by technicians and engineers in a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at Kennedy. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis KSC-2012-4103

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Russell Romanella, director of Safety and Missi...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Russell Romanella, director of Safety and Mission Assurance at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, left, is briefed on NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle. Morpheus is... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is being checked out in a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis KSC-2012-4105

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed veh...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is being checked out in a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is design... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Russell Romanella, director of Safety and Mission Assurance at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, right, is briefed on NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle. Morpheus is being checked out by technicians and engineers in a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at Kennedy. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis KSC-2012-4102

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Russell Romanella, director of Safety and Missi...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Russell Romanella, director of Safety and Mission Assurance at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, right, is briefed on NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle. Morpheus i... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is being checked out in a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis KSC-2012-4095

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed veh...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is being checked out in a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is design... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is being checked out in a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis KSC-2012-4097

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed veh...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is being checked out in a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is design... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is being checked out in a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis KSC-2012-4104

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed veh...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is being checked out in a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is design... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Russell Romanella, director of Safety and Mission Assurance at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, right-center, is briefed on NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle. Morpheus is being checked out by technicians and engineers in a building at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at Kennedy. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis KSC-2012-4101

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Russell Romanella, director of Safety and Missi...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Russell Romanella, director of Safety and Mission Assurance at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, right-center, is briefed on NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle. Mor... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A crane is being used to set up NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, at its launch position along the runway at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis KSC-2012-4117

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A crane is being used to set up NASA's Morpheus...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A crane is being used to set up NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, at its launch position along the runway at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is being transported out of its checkout building for a short trip to a launch position at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis KSC-2012-4108

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed veh...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is being transported out of its checkout building for a short trip to a launch position at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at th... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is being transported along the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for a short trip to a launch position along the runway. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis KSC-2012-4112

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed veh...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is being transported along the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for a short trip to a launch p... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A crane is being used to set up NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, at its launch position along the runway at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis KSC-2012-4118

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A crane is being used to set up NASA's Morpheus...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A crane is being used to set up NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, at its launch position along the runway at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, arrives at its launch position along the runway at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis KSC-2012-4114

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed veh...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, arrives at its launch position along the runway at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morph... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is being transported along the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for a short trip to a launch position along the runway. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis KSC-2012-4111

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed veh...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is being transported along the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for a short trip to a launch p... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A crane is being used to set up NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, at its launch position along the runway at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis KSC-2012-4121

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A crane is being used to set up NASA's Morpheus...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A crane is being used to set up NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, at its launch position along the runway at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is being set up at its launch position along the runway at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis KSC-2012-4115

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed veh...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is being set up at its launch position along the runway at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florid... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Technicians set up NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, at its launch position along the runway at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis KSC-2012-4120

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Technicians set up NASA's Morpheus lander, a ve...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Technicians set up NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, at its launch position along the runway at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Flo... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Technicians secure connections for a crane which will be used to set up NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, at its launch position along the runway at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis KSC-2012-4119

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Technicians secure connections for a crane whic...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Technicians secure connections for a crane which will be used to set up NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, at its launch position along the runway at the Shuttle Landing... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is being transported along the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for a short trip to a launch position along the runway. Morpheus is designed to demonstrate new green propellant propulsion systems and autonomous landing and an Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology, or ALHAT, system. Checkout of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF site will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information on Project Morpheus, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/exploration/morpheus/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis KSC-2012-4113

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed veh...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Morpheus lander, a vertical test bed vehicle, is being transported along the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for a short trip to a launch p... More

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