Copenhagen Suborbital First Launch

10 responses to “Copenhagen Suborbital First Launch”

1. 

   jurvetson

   Jun 3, 2011 at 5:49 pm

   

   

   

   New Scientist interview with co-founder Peter Madsen:

   "Why build a human cannonball instead of a more conventional rocket?

   Traditionally, astronauts are launched into space lying on their backs. This means that you have high g-tolerance [can withstand large accelerations], but it’s very expensive because it needs a relatively large rocket booster. What we’ve done, which is very controversial, is to say, "Let’s put this man standing."

   This gives us a lot of benefits. The rocket becomes a lot smaller – it’s only 65 centimetres in diameter – and therefore lighter. Second, it gives the astronaut the visual experience of leaving Earth and travelling up through the atmosphere. This has never happened in the history of space flight.

   The vessel should be considered like clothes, and the nose-cone a helmet that protects you from the vacuum of space. It’s a very different kind of space flight; the person is submerged in the cosmos.

   …one of the things that art can do is that it can open your eyes. Hopefully this mission will give everybody watching an experience of joy, through realising that such things are possible. You can go home and build your own personal spacecraft – that’s a good message.

   Also, if you look at all the hardware we use, a lot of attention has been paid to making it feel right and look right. I call it a "functional sculpture". It is our vision of what a rocket should look like."

   Reply
2. 

   Astrocatou

   Jun 3, 2011 at 6:52 pm

   Pretty nifty.
   So how can folks withstand the G forces when standing…?
   Why from a barge ?…(presume for cost/safety…)
   Too bad about the chute…
   Those Norwegians are a crafty bunch…
   took dogs to the South Pole and left mail for the British..
   🙂

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3. 

   PhOtOnQuAnTiQuE

   Jun 3, 2011 at 7:26 pm

   That was AWESOME INDEED !!!! Such an inspiration !!! =)

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4. 

   Chucil

   Jun 3, 2011 at 8:23 pm

   "Let’s put this man standing." is an awesome idea.

   quote Konstantin Tsiolkovsky
   "The Earth is the cradle of humanity, but mankind cannot stay in the cradle forever."

   "Man must at all costs overcome the Earth’s gravity and have,
   in reserve, the space at least of the Solar System."

   Reply
5. 

   solerena

   Jun 3, 2011 at 9:05 pm

   love Tsiolkovsky’s quotes… cool rocket! …build your own personal spacecraft at home.. some sort of space outfit… dress for success:D interesting….

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6. 

   Happy Tinfoil Cat

   Jun 4, 2011 at 2:29 am

   Nice sound at 0:50

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7. 

   Lars Plougmann

   Jun 4, 2011 at 4:00 am

   The first launch attempt was unsuccessful because the liquid oxygen valve froze shut. To heat the valve the team used a hair dryer hooked up to a battery. The battery had 20 mins of capacity and the launch preparations took longer than that.

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8. 

   Lars Plougmann

   Jun 4, 2011 at 4:01 am

   The private submarine is a great touch.

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9. 

   Dr DAD (Daniel A D’Auria MD)

   Jun 4, 2011 at 10:00 am

   Awesome!

   Reply
10. 

    solerena

    Jun 5, 2011 at 1:10 am

    "Konstantin Tsiolkovsky (1857—1935) was the first pioneer of theoretical space exploration and cosmonautics. In 1903, he published Изслѣдованіе міровыхъ пространствъ реактивными приборами (The Exploration of Cosmic Space by Means of Reactive Devices [Rockets]), the first serious scientific work on space travel. Tsiolkovsky believed that colonizing space would lead to the perfection of the human race, with immortality and a carefree existence. He also developed ideas of the "animated atom" (panpsychism), and "radiant mankind". from wiki…

    Reply