Photos: NASA's Mighty Eagle Lander Prototype Flies

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By Space.com Staff
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Divert Attitude Control System Thruster

NASA/MSFC

During tests of the five-pound thruster, the Divert Attitude Control System thruster fired under vacuum conditions to simulate operation in a space environment. The tests mimicked the lander mission profile and operation scenarios. This image was taken Oct. 7, 2011.

Eagle Lander Strapdown Test

NASA/David Higginbotham

The robotic lander during strapdown testing. This phase of tests allows the engineering team to fully check out the integrated lander prototype before moving to more complex free flight tests. Thsi image was taken March 3, 2011.

Engineers Prepare for Testing

NASA/David Higginbotham

NASA Marshall engineer Josh Moore and Teledyne Brown Engineering avionics engineer Scott Gilley prepare the robotic lander prototype for tests at the U.S. Army Redstone Arsenal Test Center in Huntsville. This image was taken March 3, 2011.

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Space.com Staff
Space.com Staff
News and editorial team

Space.com is the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier. Originally founded in 1999, Space.com is, and always has been, the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists. Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering, Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd, Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox, focusing on e-commerce. Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos, with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor.