51–60 of 61 posts
What is the open source part of this? The sketch books on the website? Or is there some software somewhere as well?
I think that a lot of it hasn't been released yet: "We intend to share all our techninal information as much as possible, within the laws of EU-export control. " http://www.copenhagensuborbitals.com/mission.php
Every fact you learn about these guys is more audacious and awesome than the last. Not just a rocket, one carrying a life size dummy. Not land, sea on a floating platform they made themselves. Boat? Nope. Giant hand-made submarine. It's the kind of mad, mad, science I dreamed of as a kid. The story seems like it should end with "they don't always drink beer, but when they do..."
The picture was taken in September last year when the first (failed) attempt to launch the rocket was made.
Here's a picture of the succesful launch today: http://www.bornholmstidende.dk/nonsec/NPIX/2011/6/Launch.jpg
Every fact you learn about these guys is more audacious and awesome than the last. Not just a rocket, one carrying a life size dummy. Not land, sea on a floating platform they made themselves. Boat? Nope. Giant hand-made submarine. It's the kind of mad, mad, science I dreamed of as a kid. The story seems like it should end with "they don't always drink beer, but when they do..."
Here's a picture of the rocket and the submarine: http://i2-images2.tv2net.dk/s/49/20942149-29ce372936dd69adf1... The picture was taken in September last year when the first (failed) attempt to launch the rocket was made. Here's a picture of the succesful launch today: http://www.bornholmstidende.dk/nonsec/NPIX/2011/6/Launch.jpg Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmGmymAWI4E
This time around they decided to enable the rocket platform to sail on its own: http://politiken.tv/nyheder/videnskab/article1298751.ece
Inspiring, they've actually done something, on a shoestring, basically hobbyists, that most national governments haven't been able to achieve.
If a hobbyist group built a skyscraper in two months on a shoestring budget and it collapsed after a year, it would be a success.
If a national government funded a skyscraper, spent two months on it, and it collapsed after a year, they'd be a laughing stock.
For a volunteer/hobbyist/amateur/donation group, this is enormously progressive and successful; for a national space agency, it wouldn't be.
Liftoff! First attempt the auto-sequence didn't start properly, but on a retry they've achieved liftoff. The screams from the mission control feed gave me goosebumps.
Any idea how high it went?
Altitude: 2.8 kilometers
Traveled a total: 8.5 kilometers
Please donate, or become a member of the support organization (it,s 20 dollars a month) if you think this is a cool project. this is a private noncommercial opensource project, and the whole thing is built on donations and people working in their freetime.
Please donate, or become a member of the support organization (it,s 20 dollars a month) if you think this is a cool project. this is a private noncommercial opensource project, and the whole thing is built on donations and people working in their freetime.
Yep, all started by cool guys from Something Awful: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=327...
Found this video of one of the Copenhagen Suborbitals guys giving a talk at TEDxCopenhagen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ua9oGxNNGd0
About 6 minutes in, one can see the scale of the rocket as someone is welding on a fin. The launch videos linked above do not properly convey the scale, and I was surprised at how big it actually was.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Their submarine is homebuilt, so I doubt it will match any Russian Specs...
Theoretically it should be able to dive to 400 meters though. Pretty impressive for a few guys welding it together themsellves.
