This video is a montage of various views of a SM-3, fired from the USS Lake Erie, successfully intercepting a target missile that had been launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility, Barking Sands, Kauai, Hawaii. The best segment is the slow motion 'pad cam' starting at 3:10 in. To learn more, visit http://www.mda.mil/system/aegis_bmd.html.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
1TB of free photo storage? It's a well crafted marketing trick.
When I first saw that Flickr was giving me 1TB of free storage, I got excited and immediately started building my rocket photo archive. Then I hit the 300MB/month limitation. This threw some cold water on my excitement but I thought...there's always next month. Overnight, my interest was waning about the prospects of loading all my photos. This morning, fellow rocketeer Sascha Grant threw another bucket on me by pointing out that, with a 300MD/month limit, it would take almost 300 years to fill it up. After coffee and breakfast I perked up a bit when I realized that I don't have anywhere near that much rocket data. I looked at the photos just on this computer and found that it will take me a mere 9 months to load my rocket photos. Assuming no growth that is. I don't even want to check my other computer. I have again realized there is still no hope. So, I will try to load new photo sets and maybe some select older ones. Like maybe all my Red Glare albums. Starting next month.
Paper Mir and Atlantis STS-71 1/400
Click through to see the Paper Kosmonaut's fleet of paper rockets...and spacecraft, subs, busses...
Monday, May 20, 2013
Loaded a bunch of photos to (the new) Flickr
I've been a Flickr user for many years but, because of the limits on free accounts, pretty much only used it to look at the eye candy (including harvesting material for the Dungeon). Today, Flickr rolled out a new version, which included the following free account upgrades:
So, I spent a couple of hours loading, tagging and organizing rocket photos. I then found another limitation of the free accounts...there is a monthly bandwidth limit of 300MB. Still, I now have over 500 photos there now. Take a look! (I wish I had left some slack so I could add new material - vs. loading all old photos. At this rate it will be a long time before I have all my rocket sets uploaded!)
What do I now have with a free Flickr account?
Starting on 5/20/2013, members with free accounts on Flickr will have:
- 1 Terabyte of space
- Upload and download in full original quality. Up to 200MB per image
- Ability to create “Collections”
- Post any of your photos or videos in up to 60 group pools
- Limitation of maximum image size available to others
So, I spent a couple of hours loading, tagging and organizing rocket photos. I then found another limitation of the free accounts...there is a monthly bandwidth limit of 300MB. Still, I now have over 500 photos there now. Take a look! (I wish I had left some slack so I could add new material - vs. loading all old photos. At this rate it will be a long time before I have all my rocket sets uploaded!)
Awesome PEPP aeroshell model
TRF member John ('JAL') Lee has completed and flown his awesome scale model of the PEPP aeroshell. The PEPP aeroshell is my favorite real flying saucer. NASA's Planetary Entry Parachute Program (PEPP) aeroshell tested parachutes for the Voyager Mars landing program. (ref Wikipedia). It flew 4 times between 1966 and 1967 and is now displayed in the White Sands missile garden.
John documented the lengthy build on TRF with the completed product debuting on page 8 of the build thread. His PEPP flew on 12 canted C6-0 motors. The cant simulated the angled nozzles on the PEPP's 12 Falcon motors. He successfully ignited all 12 motors using Quest Q2G2 igniters. The -0 delay was used to eject the parachute immediately on burn through. That was a good thing as it weather cocked badly and, even with no ejection delay, the 'chute failed to open before landing. Luckily, aeroshells naturally aerobrake and the rocket survived to fly another day. Good show, JAL!
I'll refer you to the thread linked above, the web and, of course, the Dungeon (via the post tags). Here are three photos. The last, originally shown on the DARS club's newsletter, shows his PEPP at ejection.
John documented the lengthy build on TRF with the completed product debuting on page 8 of the build thread. His PEPP flew on 12 canted C6-0 motors. The cant simulated the angled nozzles on the PEPP's 12 Falcon motors. He successfully ignited all 12 motors using Quest Q2G2 igniters. The -0 delay was used to eject the parachute immediately on burn through. That was a good thing as it weather cocked badly and, even with no ejection delay, the 'chute failed to open before landing. Luckily, aeroshells naturally aerobrake and the rocket survived to fly another day. Good show, JAL!
I'll refer you to the thread linked above, the web and, of course, the Dungeon (via the post tags). Here are three photos. The last, originally shown on the DARS club's newsletter, shows his PEPP at ejection.
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Friday, May 17, 2013
Rockets of the day, Flickr style
Well, I have my line-up set for tomorrow's launch. Hope the weather reports don't worsen. Meanwhile, on Flickr (click images to see the original and navigate the poster's photostream):
More about the Mythbuster's third JATO rocket car episode
I just noticed that the TRF thread on the episode has been joined by Rick Maschek, who was involved with the making of the rocket motors. He has two Facebook albums that are viewable: Building the motors; and, on the playa. In the thread, he confirms what I thought I had observed - that 38mm motors were used to ignite the P motors.
There is more about the episode on the aftershow video. Asked about the possibility of a rocket car episode 4, a car with wings, both Adam and Jaime both said "no". Adam says that would be a car shaped rocket, not a rocket car. Jaime says you can make a brick fly, but what's the point? Guys, if you have to ask, you don't get it :)
There is more about the episode on the aftershow video. Asked about the possibility of a rocket car episode 4, a car with wings, both Adam and Jaime both said "no". Adam says that would be a car shaped rocket, not a rocket car. Jaime says you can make a brick fly, but what's the point? Guys, if you have to ask, you don't get it :)
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Monday, May 13, 2013
Dr. Sue invited me in, so I'm going to suck her Rocket Works dry
I see that Dr Sue continues to have personal problems and will be shutting her site down. On TRF, she made the following invitation:
So please my friends, vacuum up what little info there is available while its still up and running.I extend my best wishes to her and her family. Meanwhile, I'm going to repost some of her photos here as a tribute to her rocketry work and, of course, for our future enjoyment.
Happy birthday to the Bumper WAC
#OTD 65 years ago: 1st launch of Bumper WAC at White Sands Missile Range. 1st 2 stage rocket launched in the US. go.nasa.gov/13fpp7c
— NASA History Office (@NASAhistory) May 13, 2013
Space Oddity by ISS Commander Chris Hadfield
I had been resisting watching this video but finally broke down. And, man, I'm glad I did. Commander Chris Hadfield's version of David Bowie's Space Oddity is really quite good. The backdrop isn't bad either! I'd go to his concert.
Saturday, May 11, 2013
J58 in Full Afterburner
This was the last time an SR-71 engine was run at Edwards.Two J58s powered the SR-71 Blackbird. Individually, they have more horsepower than the Queen Mary, on a typical flight at Mach 3.2 and 80,000 feet.
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