{title deleted...no smart a$$ replacement)

ParabolicArc post about Elon Musk's new old lady, actress Talulah Riley. 


I didn't like the tone of my post and decided to remove my inane rambling.  I wish Elon and Talulah all the best, whether on earth, Mars, or anywhere in between. Go Space-X!

A small extraterrestrial life post

I'll lump a few news stories here, in one convenient location....

• The blogaverse is abuzz with news about NASA's scheduled and clearly announced December 2nd news conference in which they will announce a "scientific finding" that "will impact the search for extraterrestrial life."  Space.com has the particulars. Many sources are saying that 'this could be big.'  I think it will be big, but more from a detailed scientific viewpoint.  I bet it is closer to biochemistry than alien archaeology. Either way, I'll be watching my news feed on the 2nd.
• Scott Lowther offers some personal speculation on that announcement and provides a link to another on-topic, yet unrelated, story.  Unscientific, but on topic.
• i/o9 points to a 1970's vintage UFO documentary.  The point I noticed is that it includes a clip (although I haven't watched it yet) of Steven Spielberg around the time he was making Close Encounters. So, this item may be more about movie history than anything else.
• Hmmm, thought there was another item, but I can't find it.

New old rocket quote of the day

Rocket science aside: Trajectory is a crapshoot. - John Abell in Wired/NYT

More vintage political incorrectness

The Unwanted Blog features some vintage photos of a sexy blond suggestively posing with an F-102.  (photo credit: from the SDAM via Mark Nankivil)  Scott notes (and possibly laments?):

These are pretty much exactly the sort of photos the USAF doesn’t use for publicity anymore.

I think this might make a good recruitment poster.

If you like this post (and Scott's post), you might also like Miss Bomarc.

Interesting rocketry photo album

I just found an interesting Flickr album containing scans of some photos of the Space Services Inc Conestoga I and related facilities. The photos are not sharable so none will be posted here. However, I found an promo image via SSI's subsidiary Celestis. The Celestis images are better quality, but it's cool to see some personal photos.

Flown in 1982 from their facility on Texas' Matagorda Island launch site, the Conestoga I was reportedly the first private rocket to reach space..  Here are some related links:

• Space Services Inc. on Wikipedia
• Conestoga rocket also on Wikipedia
• Sept. 9, 1982: 3-2-1 … Liftoff! The First Private Rocket Launch - Wired,  9/12//2009 - hat tip to Clark Lindsey .. and excuse the circular reference ;)

Dragons (on aircraft and in movies)

Dragons, dragons, everywhere. 

I just saw the coolest aircraft nose art over on IndyTransponder (attached). The airshow team Red Star and The Dragon have decorated their Dragon II with aply named nose artwork as well as the Marine Corps' Vietnam service ribbon on her tail.

This was cool but I took special note because of the other dragons that I saw over the long weekend.  In the vacuum caused by relatives departing back to their homes and the stupor caused by overeating, I trolled the cable for a movie to watch.  What I found was Reign of Fire.  I've seen this several times and I enjoyed it again.  As a result, I have added it to the Dungeon's Cult Movie list. For those who haven't seen the list or don't remember it, this is the list of movies that I seem to be able to watch over and over again.  Most are not critically acclaimed, but I love them nevertheless.  I buried these under the page break to conserve in-line space on my main page.

Finally, I stumbled across another dragon movie last night.  I forget the name but it featured dragons of various sizes and shapes attacking Los Angeles.  It also had some weird cult who wanted to rule the world (yawn).  Well, the CGI dragon attacks weren't too bad but the story was pretty bad.  So, I won't add it to my list or even search for the name.

I wonder if more dragons will pop up this week?

High Power Rocketry magazine, June 1998

Here's a recap of yet another old issue of HPR magazine. Upon searching for some background on one article, I actually found an old Rocketry Planet article announcing that this issue was shipped, along with the previous issue, in July 1998.  That would make this one a mere month late, which is more timely than I remember.  But, I guess I'll believe RP.  Conveniently for me, RP published the TOC:

• Low-Tech Lost and Found (A short electronics-for-tracking article.)
• NYPOWER Launch Coverage
• Airshow Demonstration (Post NYPOWER demo launch for the locals.)
• Tar Rockets (An alternative non-regulated fuel, and a history of the Reaction Research Institute [RRI].)
• The MOSFET H-Bridge Circuit (An electronics article that the author failed to link to rocketry. The editor hopes HP rocketeers will be able to discover a use for it.)
• Sensory Deprivation-NOT! (Short article describing a person's experience attending the RRS Live Fire event earlier this year, plus a side-bar on the ERS.)
• It Started With a Kit (We can all relate...)
• Delamar Launch Coverage (HPR received a really neat photo of a rocket car just after sunset that was used on the contents page.) 

The stand-out article is Tar Rockets and the RRI. The RRI (Reaction Research Institute) was formed in 1959 by Aerojet employees, many of which had also been members of the California Rocket Society and Reaction Research Society.  It conducted research, held educational programs and launched rockets from their facility in Nevada's Smoke Creek desert.  They worked extensively with Asphalt-Perchlorate propellants, which were invented by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory/Aerojet in the 1940's.  This formulation required less processing equipment than HTPB and lent itself to field mixing.  They used surplus military rocket casings, including those from the five inch HVARS (High Velocity Aircraft Rockets). (These were also popularly used as fence posts by the local farmers.)  They did really cool stuff with these things.  Even though the propellant wasn't considered state of the art, the 5" casings provided a lot of power.  The attached photo shows a 3-stager that was optically tracked to 100k feet (and it was still going up!).  Now I want to re-read the whole article!


Some of the other interesting things I found in this old issue included: seeing several familiar names and faces in the NYPOWER coverage; the report of an "I" powered Fireball XL-5 that went unstable and hit both Ron "LOC" Schultz's and Ross "Magnum" Dutton's vehicles (Who says vendors don't have it tough?); an ad for liquid rocket reports and plans; the author of It Started With a Kit was from my hometown; a gyro controlled rocket by Steve Ainsworth (I think the tech report that the wrote for Extreme Rocketry is now available from ARA Press); a rocket with a lava lamp for its nose cone, and; info on high power rocket cars.

Historic high power

Ace kits circa the early 80's or so.  Not big by today's standards and possibly not even HPR by today's definition, but interesting nevertheless.  Especially the Desert Squid (front row, 2nd from right) and the one 2nd from the left.

(Update:  These were MPR by today's definition.  Ace called the Desert Squid a "Multiple Gravity Gradient Boom" stabilized rocket.)

Cool Raygun Gothic Rocketship model from Down Under

Fellow rocketeer Sascha Grant is putting his nifty laser cutter to good use.  His current project is a skeleton-model of the Raygun Gothic Rocketship, which was built for Burning Man and is now on display on San Francisco's Emarcadero.  Dude, you have to tweak this thing so it'll take a motor tube! (And, thanks for plug too!)  Click through to see additional photos:

Computer history - the Gatling gun single step

In the mid-1950's, a group of Rice professors wanted a computer to simulate fluid flow. They didn't want to travel to Los Alamos to use the powerful MANIAC II. So, they built their own. The "The Rice Institute Computer", later the R1, began operation in 1959 and was fully functional by 1961. The R1 was known for many things, including a unique (for the time) memory addressing feature known as "codewords", which has been compared to the more modern "object-oriented" view of program design. However, what I found most curious was the "grind crank" single step feature that was added somewhere along the way. Single stepping is a venerable method of program debugging, but if you ever have had to step through large programs, or short ones with long loops, you will understand why a 'Gatling gun' approach would be beneficial. The grind crank would step through 60 instructions per revolution after which you could return to single stepping.

Read all about the history of the R1 here: A Brief History of the Rice Computer, 1959-1971. (the attached photo is from this article)  As an aside, I can't dispute the offical history, but I would have sworn that the R1 was still running when I started there in 1972.

The Turbine Rocket Saucer...at night

Boris Katan added LEDS to his Turbine Rocket Saucer.  Powered by 6 D11-P's.

Reduced expectations - the FemtoEX

Alright already, quit laughing at me!  The new version is the motor with a card stock fin can, small lug taped on, and a toothpick nose cone.  My current expectations of the NanoEX is that the motor-only version will lift 2.385" but never leave the rod.  It turns out that cleaning the motor (and I use that term very loosely) was PITA so, even if this 'works', it will remain an oddity of nature.  FAIW, the genesis of this small, inconsequential fiasco was a sheathed piece of quick match that flew away nicely when I tested its burn rate.  I guess the sheath from the QM weighs a lot less than the full nanoEX (and probably more an the motor-only version too). Between rain, family, turkey, and family stuffed with turkey, I don't know when the next test will occur.

Static model of the Pluto SLAM

Scott Lowther is developing a cool resin model of the Project Pluto Supersonic Low Altitude Missile (SLAM) (I attached his drawing, click to expand.) for Fantastic Plastic. I really like this missile (as a model, not the real thing). Too bad resin models are so pricey.

Maybe the NanoEX should have been named the FemtoEX

Total success would have been it merely clearing the rod.  Partial success would have been discernible upward motion.  Total failure was gas generation only. It didn't even make a satisfying 'woosh'.  I will try one more thing just because I have nothing better to do. :(  I flew my Quest Alien UFO just because it was in the box and I wanted to at least fly one thing.

PS - I chose the new prefix of femto merely because it's the smallest power I know off the top of my head.  Just don't ask how many zeros that denotes!

NanoEX, ready to fly

I completed the NanoEX and may give it a go tomorrow.  My confidence in this hair brained scheme is low, but we'll see.  I connected the nose to the body with a short piece of thin Kevlar twine and made a card stock fin can from Art Applewhite's BicStic pen rocket plans. I tweaked the scale a bit since the MicroMaxx tubing is slightly smaller than a Bic® pen.  I also added a thrust rung to the motor case.

X-Plane updates - news and rumors

Clark Lindsey updates us on the status of the X-34 and speculates about the X-37B.

NASA Dryden has released a press release confirming that the two X-34's have been moved to Mojave, where Orbital Sciences personnel will determine if they are flight worthy.  No word on what their plans are if the are so. There are a couple of photos of the X-34's in-transport here.

Amateur satellite watchers have been tracking the X-37B since shortly after it launched. It has occasionally gone missing, presumably after orbital maneuvers, but had again been found.  However, it now hasn't been seen since November 10th and one of Clark's readers spotted an interesting NOTAM issued for the VAFB area.  Here's the short version:

M0426/10 - USE EXTREME CAUTION FOR UNMANNED AIRCRAFT ACTIVITY IN THE  VICINITY OF VANDENBERG AFB. 20 OCT 21:45 2010 UNTIL 15 DEC 23:59 2010.

For all I know they are testing some UAV's, but maybe the X-37B is coming (or already is) home.

EVE starship design contest

Conceptships is a great source of spaceship graphics and is one of the many items in my feed reader. The latest post presents the blogger's favorite entries from deviantART's create a starship contest that was held for EVE Online.  I haven't visited deviantART in a long time since I haven't found much rocket content there.  As a result, I totally missed this contest.  So, you can 1). go to Conceptships to see their top picks, 2) go to deviantART to see them all, or 3) settle for the winner and a pair of starship girls.


EvE Online -Tornado by *dreamwa1ker on deviantART


EVE Contest - Girls have power by ~losromanos on deviantART

Disappearing act

Delta IV Heavy launching from CCAFS.

Disappearing act, originally uploaded by Flying Jenny.

I couldn't attend the launch, but I'm wearing my T-shirt anyway!

I was unable to attend MDRA's ESL-150, which is being held this weekend.  The weather looks pretty good and I'm crossing my fingers for milder than predicted winds.  In any event, I'm wearing my pink Red Glare IX (which I also missed, grrrr) tee as a show of support.  I hope my compadres have an excellent launch!

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, as applied to X-planes

Clark Lindsey reports on a FlightGlobal article which says that NASA has retrieved both of the X-34's from storage at Dryden and moved them to Mojave.  It looks like this was done in the dead of night. Hmmm.  Now the space conspiracy theorists can get off the California Mystery Missile and on to something more interesting. 

Just a tad of history since I didn't know anything about the X-34. Neither of these hypersonic vehicles had flown under it's own power before the program was canceled in 2001. It is thought that it was canned due to problems with development of the Fastrac engine.  There seem to be few actual photos although FlightGlobal shows one, sans tail, on a flatbed truck.  Well, I guess there couldn't be too big a conspiracy if the media was given a photo and NASA didn't spring for some tarps. I grabbed a photo of a wind tunnel model, which seems as good as an artists conception.

Small, odd return to rocketry

Since I haven't been able to do any 'serious' rocketry, I started a small, very small, project.  I don't know if it will work, so I won't go into too many details.  It uses 6mm MicroMaxx tubing and FlisKits balsa cone.  Fins will be very light, material is TBD.  The motor will be a 5.125" long x 0.125" diameter custom reloadable.  That's where the details stop.  It will be a driveway flier and I just hope it clears the MicroMaxx launch lug :)

ROCKETS Magazine, October 2010

In my short reviews/overviews of ROCKETS, I have often lamented that there isn't a wider variety of articles.  For example, I'd like to see articles about professional rocketry, historical amateur rockets, liquid motors, etc.  At MDRA's September launch, I chatted with Neil about the magazine.  The upshot was what I have always heard  - the magazine can't publish articles if people don't write and submit them.  However, the October issue has made a big stride towards that ideal, having a wide range of subjects from the standard launch reports, a rocket with aluminum parts (no safety code comments, please), a wireless launcher, low power drop away boosters (ROCKETS is an equal-opportunity magazine), Statistical Process Control, Kevin Mitchel's awesome Superstars jet fighter-style HPR bird....and even a flying duck.  Yes, this issue covers a lot of bases. You can find a sample of the magazine, including the full TOC here (.pdf).  One of my resolutions for 2011 will be to submit at least a short article myself.  Good job , dudes!

Red Glare - "This is it—the big one."

Mark Canepa has written a nice description of MDRA's biannual Red Glare launch.  See that, as well as a look at the nine runners up, in High Power Rocketry's Top 10 Biggest Regional Launches over on Rocketry Planet.

Another unique hybrid motor innovation - inject the gas at the business end

[I should have included this in my previous post, since they share a common source (Clark Lindsey, again).]

The Staged Combustion Aft-Injected Hybrid (SCAIH) is being developed by hobby rocketry's own Cesaroni Technology Inc. (hey, I might as well let the cart draw the horse).  As shown in the attached figure, the design features a "fuel-rich solid propellant gas generator (GG) grain" instead of the typical inert fuel grain seen in most hybrids.  But what really differentiates it is where the gas is injected.  Read all about it here: AIAA-2010-6786.pdf (2.9MB).

3-D printed fuel grain

While on the subject of 'exotic' hybrids, I see Clark Lindsey has spotted an article on creating complicated channels within hybrid fuel grains using 3-D printing (aka stereolithography): A Rocket Engine that Prints Its Own Fuel - Technology Review.  The attached image shows one example.

ALCOTOO propellant

A year and a half ago (or so), I was fascinated ALICE propellant, which was being done by Dr. Steven Son's team at Perdue (with collaborators at Penn). ALICE is an acronym for ALuminum and ICE.  Who woulda thunk you could essentially burn water? Dr. Son's team had actually built and flown ALICE motors in a Perfromance Rocketry Mongoose 98.  I've seen a few passing references since my original flurry of posts, but nothing with any substance.

Today, rocketeers.co.uk reports that researchers at the University of Hertfordshire are working on a hybrid rocket motor that uses CO₂ and aluminum (hence the silly acronym in the post title).  If you read yesterday's post on the Mars hopping rover concept, you'd immediately realize that CO₂ can be harvested from the Martian atmosphere.  Hence the interest in using it as a fuel (and/or oxidizer). The article also references work at Perdue, so I assume this is the same group that worked on ALICE.  I haven't had the chance to watch the following video or follow the links provided so you will soon know more about ALCOTOO than I do.

Another hopping rocket concept

By Rocket Through Space , originally uploaded by EastMarple1.

While thinking about short rocket hops, how about London to NYC in 28 minutes?

Mars hopping rockets(?)

The Next Big Future reports on a unique concept in which rocket powered rovers would gather fuel from the  Martian atmosphere, heat the fuel with radioisotope thermal source, and boost/hop across the Martian landscape. NBF notes that the Opportunity rover covered 25 km in 7 years whereas a 'hopper' could cover twice that distance in a single year.

Update: More can be found on Space.com.

Sport Rocketry, November/December 2010

Although it almost didn't survive my grandson, I am finally looking at the latest issue of Sport Rocketry. (I only got it a few days ago but, more typically, I at least scan it right away.)  This issue mainly covers NARAM-52, which was held in Colorado.  As usual, most of the contest details are of little interest to me so I mostly looked at the photos.  Several R&D reports caught my eye, on tube strength in super-rocs and one on flying wings.  Also as usual, no useful details from said reports were divulged.  Those who have enough interest will have to buy them from NARTS.

There are also articles on one William Roe (NAR #13) and Estes legend Mike Dorffler, who passed shortly after the event.  Finally, NAR S&T submitted an article to describe how they go about their business.

Interesting EX sugar motor

Out of ZZakk's Lab comes a description of a unique EX sugar motor. This one is a modified moon burner and features a canted nozzle to provide FlisKits Deuces Wild!-style focused thrust.  (Ken points out that this motor pre-dates FlisKits.) 

Big a$$ rocket of the day - 40" night launch saucer

Here's rocketjunkie's N800-powered night launch saucer! (full build thread).

So what happened this weekend?

I was out of pocket and am just starting to explore the Interweb. Here's a few things that caught my eye.

• Discussion of the 'California Mystery Missile', which turned out to be a jet plane, continues.
• It's good to see more rocketry exposure in MAKE, even if it is slightly oriented towards the newbie, for that could grow our ranks.
• George Katz shares the details of his simple multi-stage parachute release mechanism.
• Forget Cali, the Maryland Weather Blog notes that mystery craft have also been spotted over Reisterstown.

Sunrise at WWII Memorial

Sunrise at WWII Memorial, originally uploaded by keviikev.

Thanks to all that served. Miss you O, D, and F.  (This stunning photo seemed a good way to convey this thought.  Click through to see the photog's other work.)

The last post on the California Mystery Missile (NOT)

Roger, aka the EMRR 2.0, posted this on TRF:

The http://www.contrailscience.com/ site (which has photos of other contrails that look like the "mystery missile") crashed because too many people were visiting it yesterday. So the sites's owner copied the article to a blog site at http://uncinus.wordpress.com/2010/11/09/4/.

I found reading the comments at the bog site to be depressing. This event has really brought out the tinfoil hat club.

-- Roger

I had something to add but it slipped my mind. Couldn't have been too worthwhile, eh?  Hmmm, maybe I'll make a tin hat rocket (?).

Spaceport America in late October

I love the southeastern New Mexico desert.  Spaceports are nice too.  See more on the Spaceport America Construction Status blog.  (attached photo is to their credit)

Forget the 'Mystery Missile', who remembers the 'Monthly Missile'?

For some reason, reading a headline about the 'Mystery Missile' made the name 'Monthly Missile' pop into mind.  The Monthly Missile was an entry in the R.M.R. DesCon8, which was conducted as a spin off of the old rec.model.rockets newsgroup. The theme was 'flounder parts', which meant: use junk, go dumpster diving, etc.  The MM showed the ingenious use of a certain personal hygiene product, and was one the most hilarious rockets that I've see.  And, yes, it won first place!

Although not indicated in EMRR's contest archive, my entry, The Whole Enchilada, snagged me a set Shadow Composites videos on fiberglassing. 

DoD agrees the California UFO was a jet

As numerous aerospace pundits were mentioning yesterday, Space.com is reporting that the DoD says that Monday's 'UFO' was indeed a jet plane.  I guess the FAA controllers' radars didn't show any unexpected objects...i.e. it was expected.  At least that's their story...and their are sticking to it!

I'm glad this story popped up.  Without it, I'd have had nothing to post about.  I'm still amazed how the story spread.  It probably spawned 6 - 9 posts on the rocketry forums alone.  It's kind of hard to tell since TRF has a news feed that picked up RP's posts as well as Space.com's.  If you count those, the number would be higher!

California UFO: ♪ ...leaving, on a jet plane... ♪

Wired Danger Room provides expert analysis that says the 'mystery missile' was probably a jet that was moving towards the observers. This phenomena has been reported before, especially when the event is over the ocean, where the trail starts at the horizon.  They also mention that the plume expansion and speed indicates that it wasn't a missile.

I guess I am ready to buy into that description as it echoes of the explanations that are offered whenever an airliner reports that a model rocket whizzed by them.  I'll repeat some examples that I previously posted (even though that it could be an urban rocketry legend):

Other posts in the subject thread indicates that pilots are not necessarily good at estimating distances. Another reported incident says a rocket was fired 3 miles from the airplane. This turned out to be a launch from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, some 20 miles away. Another poster offers their personal experience watching a Shuttle launch from a small plane over central Georgia. I was a little surprised it would be so visible that far way, but this person said that they initially thought it was another plane flying toward them.

More on the California UFO (i.e. the 'mystery launch')

The discussion continues on Space.com.  And TRF member bobkrech provides his theory:

This event was probably a classified target test missile launch from San Nicolas Island.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Nicolas_Island

http://www.navair.navy.mil/ranges/SE...SEA/FS_SNI.pdf

Target test missiles for the ABL Tests are launched from there, as are target test missiles for the Alaskan GMD Tests.

Bob

I find the fact that this is causing a ripple in the Force more curious than the actual answer. I believe the government shouldn't have to divulge the details if the launch did emanate from a classified program. However, if a launch is that visible to the public, they should at least claim credit since some people may be worried.

DoD admits there was a UFO over California (or at least won't deny it)

Space.com reports on a "mystery missile" that was seen launching off of the Los Angeles coast yesterday evening.  The Navy denies it was theirs and Vandenberg Air Force Base officials said that no launches had been scheduled.  The Pentagon either doesn't know or more likely just isn't talking. Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Robert Ellsworth notes it could be a clandestine test to demonstrate our capabilities. CBS affiliate KCBS has a video.

The latest creation from The Rocketeer Formerly Known as MrCluster

NARHAMster and TRF member 'Micromeister' is now best known for MicroMaxx rockets.  His creations are amazingly detailed and finished so the materials are indistinguishable from plastic.  (He does PMC too, so some ARE plastic.) However, John has been involved in just about every aspect of model rocketry, with clusters being another of his major interests.  He has merged his current and prior personae in the down scale, attached, of a 6-motor cluster.  Check out his build thread for all the particulars.

You can laso check out his micro-handiwork in the Yahoo MicroMax Rockets and  Micro_Max_Plans groups.

Awesomeness in College Park: UMD's Space System's Lab

Clark Lindsey spotted this cool Washington Post article:  Gear-head nirvana: U-Md. space center is voted one of nation's 'most awesome college labs'.  The lab includes a 367,000 gallon Neutral Buoyancy Research Facility, which simulates the weightlessness of space. The only other one in the US is the well known facility at JSC. 

Mighty morphin' Comet Hartley 2

(via R2K)

Big a$$ cluster of the day - Hell Boy

Boris Katan is one of the kings of clustering.  His latest spawn is Hell Boy, a Polecat 5.5" Fat Man, converted to fly on nineteen 24mm motors!  The attached photo, stolen from Boris, shows the Hell Boy boosting on 19 D11-P motors, which is the equivalent of an I209-P.  'I' power the old fashioned way (a.k.a. the hard way). You can read all about it in his TRF build thread.

Flight videos:

Standard def (13MB)
http://www.bpasa.com/Movies2010/HellBoy1.wmv

High def (31MB)
http://www.bpasa.com/Movies2010/HellBoy1.mpg

Spacey stuff on the web

This minimalistic post is all that I can muster at the moment.  Three items worth further looking.

• NASA Langley video of re-entry vehicle wind tunnel tests.  I found these oddly entertaining. (via Clark Lindsey)
• O.S.O. the OpenSource Space Program. I'm dubious, but will watch to see how this evolves.
• A big cardboard R2D2.  Could be converted for flight (?).

A fire marshal's rocketry nightmare?

Hat tip to Sherry...

Rocketjunkie's saucer gets a night launch upgrade

Holy Close Encounters of the Third Kind! TRF member Rocketjunkie has rebuilt his big 98mm-powered saucer and, in the process, added a bunch of LEDs for night launch flying. He will fly it on another of his EX N800 motors. You can read the whole re-build thread here.

Discovery on the pad for the last time - in 3D

USA Today has four 3D panaorama views of the Shuttle Discovery in the VAB and on the pad for its final flight.  Awesome and sad at he same time.

Laser ignition of APCP propellants

AeroTech recently posted the attached video to FaceBook.  It shows the ignition of various AT propellants using a 1.1W hand held Survival Laser. Gary mentions the possibility of head-end ignition via a quartz window.  Although this sounds cool, I guess protective goggles would be added to the ol' range box.  And they would provide yet another reason to keep the inexperienced away from failed HPR flights too.  I haven't found pricing as the company's web site is totally under construction, however, I bet the cost will keep them out of your typical HPR bird.

EPOXI Mission's Close-Up Views of Comet Hartley 2

EPOXI Mission's Close-Up Views of Comet Hartley 2, originally uploaded by NASAJPL.

Pretty cool shot!

Another Harpoon build

After seeing my previous Harpoon post, Warthog provided me a reference to another - a 3" model by yet another German, Jan Kersten.  This one is smaller still, but is amazingly detailed and well documented.  You can find his build thread here (translated to English?).  The attached photos show a view of the real thing and a similar angle on the model, with vinyl decals from Stickershock.  Jan's build thread describes the build in great detail, including the on-the-body wiring to connect the electronics to the charges.  Very nice indeed!

Ballistic Chicken progress

I managed to get the Ballistic Chicken built.  It was simple and that was good.  I won't be able to paint it for a while but I won't be launching for a while either so there is plenty of time.  It looks much better painted yellow with it's decal.

Tuesday water rocket entertainment

George Katz put together this video for his Day 97 Flight Report. He flew his Acceleron V three times, attaining the impressive altitude of 864'(263m). The video includes ground footage and on-board video from both the booster and sustainer. His videos always manage to put a smile on my face.

The Walking Dead has more viewers than the apocalypse has zombies

Well, maybe not, but 5.3 million zombiphiles ain't chicken feed. This evening, I caught the premier episode of AMC's The Walking Dead and was blown away.  This show was really great.  I say this assuming all my readers like zombie movies as much as I do, of course.  If you have no hunger for brains then maybe you may not agree.  It was complete with great undead effects, good acting, and a sustainable story line.  The latter is important if it is to survive (and remain interesting) past the initial six installments.  I immediately liked the characters who successfully interpreted the survivors' emotions beyond the mere abject fear surrounding their (probably) hopeless situation.  My only 2 criticisms is that it appears that the character played by Lennie James may, despite not being eaten, may only appear in the pilot and that {spoiler removed}.  I went ahead and stole a shot of one of my favorite scenes.  If it's not here that's because an AMC lawyer suggested that I remove it.  Yeehaw, this series is going to be fun!

Anyway,  I have to go arm myself and grab the family.  We're sleeping in our tank tonight.

Tiny but well engineered Harpoon model

What I'm talking about is a Rolf Stabroth's 7.875" x 92.5" version (assuming I converted from metric properly). This amazing model is this month's feature over at Verna and Randy's place.  Rolf's, which flew beautifully on a J800, is 7.875" x 92." x 22lb.  By my standards it's not tiny, however, it is next to Tom Heir's 3x'M' powered, 95% scale version.

What sets this model apart is his German-engineered design features such as side-bay 'chute compartments and a high level of modularity.  If you want to see more but don't want to wade through a German translator to read the 9 pages of documentation, pop over to Verna and Randy's Fire and Smoke and Photo of the Month features.  Now, I have to go find the codec required to view the movie!

Palamino 3-2

Palamino 3-2, originally uploaded by axeman3d.

Click the link above to see additional angles.