> I thought it was really fascinating, too.  I recall thinking when I saw
> the video that I'd never seen a rocket land like that before.  I didn't
> realize what a special technological feat it was.  Thanks for sharing it!


This is a part time project. Some people may not link the name of the team
leader (and funds provider) with his day job.
John Carmack is one of the people who started ID software responsible for
such classics (love them or hate them) as Doom.
His software skills are at the heart of the control that you see displayed.
Aided by a lot of experience and not a few interesting crashes along the
way.

There has so far been little call for powered VTOVL capabilities in
commercial rockets so emphasis has fallen elsewhere. It is still an awesome
feat.
Interestingly, even planetary landers use other methods - typically nowadays
parachutes and then a VERY large 'beachball' equivalent. Unmanned Lunar
landers  must use this technique but tended to do a very rough unpowered
drop at the end. The manned Lunar landers did an all the way powered
descent, so it has been done long ago, but is unusual on earth.


        RM

--
http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different
ways.  See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.