Danish rocketeers poised to reach for the skies

Danish rocket enthusiasts are poised for the first test launch of of a vehicle they hope will one day carry adventurous passengers on a sub-orbital jaunt. Copenhagen Suborbital's Hybrid Exo Atmospheric Transporter (HEAT) is designed to lift the "Tycho Brahe" micro spacecraft, described as "a pressurized volume providing …

[TeeCee]

Doubting qualifications?

"....these boys previously built a submarine...."

Er, that's not exactly Rocket Science you know?

(Oh come on, someone had to say it).

[Arctic fox]

If they feel that they ........

....... need a sub for splashdown recovery I for one will not volunteering for the manned flight!

[tony72]

Three rules for the first passenger

1. Do not throw up

2. Do not throw up

3. Do not throw up

[Trygve Henriksen]

Not to worry...

The 3G thrust and upright position of the pilot will make certain to keep the stomach contents in it's place... Until the engine cuts out...

Mine's the one with the dog-eared copy of "Have Spacesuit, will travel"

[Ugotta B. Kiddingme]

Rules 4 and 5

4. do not crap pants

5. do not pee in capsule as this would ENTIRELY change the meaning of "splashdown"

[Anonymous Coward]

Portaloo

Is it just me or should the pilot/crash test dummy, be reading a copy of hustler

Thats one hell of a flush....

[Anonymous Coward]

Mmmm...

...as nuch as I'd like to go into space, the idea of sticking myself on a amateur firework, kinda puts me off.

[Christoph]

Amateur firework

So don't use a rocket built by enthusiasts trying to do the best job they possibly can, use a NASA rocket where every single part is built by the lowest bidder?

[Trevor_Pott]

@AC

I'd trust hobbiests a lot more than megacorporates. Guess who builds the NASA gear...

[Torben Mogensen]

The rocket

The group have made some test firings of the rocket engine to check its thrust, and this seems to be O.K. The engine works by blowing high-pressure oxygen (from a LOX tank) through a tube lined with a combustible based on paraffin, so it is basically the same principle as Mythbusters' salami rocket. The advantage over a solid-fuel rocket is safety: You can regulate the amount of oxygen and even shut it completely off if something goes wrong.

Nevertheless, I wouldn't volunteer for the first manned flight. But these people are more adventurous than me.

[John Smith 19]

@Torben Mogensen

It's called a hybrid (One liquid component, one solid normally liquid oxidiser, solid fuel)

It' the system Virgin Galactic are using to propel the 2nd stage of their sub orbital when it's dropped by the carrier aircraft.

Technically simplest and safest but historically lowest performance (that might change depending on better understanding of the combustion processes, selection of better fuel material and perhaps embedding of metal bits in the fuel to enhance heat transfer into it from the burning surface).

[hplasm]

HEAT launch?

HEAT= high explosive armour tearing.

I see why the neighbours are nervous...

[Disco]

@hplasm

I'm being pedantic but I always understood it to be High Explosive Anti Tank (and for a follow up HESH = High Explosive Squash Head)

[JaffaMan]

head 1st?

Judging by the photograph there's no nose cone where parachutes would typically deploy.

Assuming this follows a ballastic profile and comes down nose first, is the poor petrified guinea pig going to spend half the flight effectively standing on his head before landing head first?

[bothwell]

The title is required, and must contain letters and/or digits.

There is indeed a parachute. I can recommend looking at the pictures at end of the spacecraft spec link. Looks terrifying, the pilot of that thing must have bollocks made of titatinium.

[bothwell]

speeling fail

'titatinium' is of course a new heavy element whose discovery was so recent it hasn't even been added to the periodic table yet.

[Anonymous Coward]

Mmmm..........

But how do you get back on terrafirma? How do you get out of it when its all over?

[Anonymous John]

Simple.

They scrape you off the floor, walls, and ceiling, with a large spatula.

[James Hughes 1]

In answer to the people who cannot be arsed to look it up...

There are some issues with some large oscillations in the engine, which they think will be OK (we shall see), but they don't have the funds for more extensive ground testing. Also, this is an UNGUIDED rocket. ie.it's goes in the direction it is pointed, and if affected by wind. So they have to limit it to 30s in case it goes very off course. 30s should be enough to stop it running in to anything landlike. They also have a valve cut off for the LOX.

There is a pyrotechnic system to separate the nose form the main body - this is where the parachute is kept I believe.

And yes, it really is just a big firework, but without the big bang at the end. They hope. (It's a hybrid so cannot explode in the traditional sense)

It's a bit seat of pants, but i guess someone has to try this stuff!

[Anonymous Coward]

With a bit of luck.....

You can get out and meet Jesus - cause he's up there too.

[Kay Burley ate my hamster]

Orange?!

Must be the new Easy Rocket service I've been hearing so much about! :)

[Francis Boyle]

Hitch a ride on Paris, perhaps

Because I'd like . . nah not going there.

[Rob]

Little confidence...

... when you spot the words sputnik on the pontoon.

[Daniel Wilkie]

Top marks for the effort

But it does not look like something I would enjoy...

[Richard Jukes]

Erm

There is no bloody was I would get in that thing. I hear Tom Cruise likes to fly, perhaps he's up for it? They could film it then and make a movie out of it, and with any luck we'll be minus one Tom Cruise.

The submarine however, well that looks fun :)

[Simon_E]

@Richard Jukes

...so that'd be a Tom Cruise Missile, then.

[M7S]

Submarines and rockets - the stuff every schoolboy should aspire to build

However I suspect that If I tried building things like that as a hobby with my son, here in the UK I'd be locked up.

[Anonymous Coward]

Hmmm ... a transparent dome.

In space everyone can see you scream ...

[Nexox Enigma]

Looks like my next project...

Pretty sure I need to build one of those, if only because these sane-looking folks probably won't let me ride in their rocket without pants. Why do I need to go into space pantsless? If you have to ask, you'll never understand.

[strangefish]

Loving the new space race

Even if (maybe because) it is starting to resemble those old black and white films of people trying to build flying machines with motorised umbrellas (umbrellae?)

[Anonymous Coward]

If they're looking for volunteeers.....I'll go

Where do I sign up.

[mike 32]

No biological agents?

Surely a passenger counts?

[mhenriday]

Couldn't this group from København (Copenhagen)

test their rocket with den lille havfrue as passenger ? She looks so lonely sitting there on her rock in the harbour, so she'd certainly appreciate a little excursion....

Henri

PS : Pity there's only Paris as symbol of feminine pulchritude here, but a Tuborg will do....