The ability BNS Gold is alleged afterwards a appearance from the accepted AngryBirds game, and is a assay bed for technologies that may be acclimated tobuild automatic landers for the Moon, asteroids and otherdestinations in our Solar System.

"The Mighty Eagle had a abundant flight, accomplishing the objectiveswe had for this assay - award and landing on its ambition appliance aclosed-loop system," said Dr Greg Chavers, beforehand architect for theproject.

After a seriesof tetheredflights during 2011 and 2012, the Mighty Eagle had its aboriginal "free"flight on 8 August, 2012. That assay met with its targets and wasfollowed by accession accustomed untethered flight on 16 August whenthe lander hovered at an ambit of about 9m, articular itstarget landing website 6.4m away, abashed alongside and descendedsafely.The assay flight lasted 32 seconds.