I didn’t follow up yesterday, because I never got a connection in the afternoon, but Armadillo does have FAA permission to fly today, as Alan Boyle reported. Their first attempt at the Level 1 is scheduled shortly.

People here are frantically looking for a rogue wireless network, which is interfering with Armadillo’s ground-to-air communications. John controls it with a joystick operating on 2.4 GHz.

In the meantime, “Rocketman” (aka Don Schlund) is supposed to fly on a peroxide rocket belt in five minutes or so.

[Update a few minutes later]

He flew around on the tarmac for a little less than thirty seconds (that’s how much propellant he has). Max altitude, probable thirty or forty feet. It was quite loud. I’m sure he wears earplugs, but there should probably have been some for the closer spectators as well.

Meanwhile, while we’re waiting for Armadillo to do their Lunar Lander Challenge attempt, go read Jon Goff’s account of getting to Las Cruces and setting up, with Masten Aerospace.

And Anousheh Ansari’s plane just landed and taxied in front of us.

[Update at noon]

Jeff Foust has a picture of the Rocketman. He has other pictures (and a video, laready) as well. Check out the adjacent posts.