Here's my little Halloween post. Boo!

My Jack-O-Lantern didn't turn out as well as planned.  Probably due to lack of planning.  So, I'll start with Space.com's gallery of spacey lanterns. Here's the STS-114 punkin carved by Liz Warren.

While talking about the ghost of the Space Shuttle, check out this video.  Crank up your speakers for this one!  (Hat tip to R2K.)



Aw heck, I'll go ahead inflict my carving on you: When polled, people have thought this was 1) A pirate; 2) A Ninja Turtle; 3), An alligator; 4) A kitten; and, 5) A T-Rex.

 

Recap of Discovery Science's LDRS-30 show

I missed the first showing, didn't watch Kari's Twitter coverage, and haven't checked in on the forums.  I did grab a photo from Facebook to spruce up this otherwise boring post.

I really liked this show. Big surprise! For the most part, I adhere to the view that any press is good press. There are arguments to the contrary but, here in the Dungeon, I don't have to listen :) How could you not like HPR oddrocs and drag races?  Yeah, these are only a small part of LDRS and of rocketry in general, but they are some of the most entertaining!

The program focused on the oddroc competition and the fastest to 10K drag race.  The oddrocs ranged from a big corn cob (a larger version of First Flight's Corn Roc) to Bayourat and the Cajun Coalition's winning Tiki Hut.  I especially liked seeing Whitney's recap of the Tiki Hut's design.

I also enjoyed the quick snippets from LDRS-1 and the background of the drag race participants.  I'm a little happy that the uppity ASU students didn't win.  That would have been too easy.  I hope they come back next year.  I'm sure there will be a suitable drag race.  Plus, 2nd of ten isn't too bad!

Finally, there was a nice recap of Troj's huge "insane rocket" and the ensuing CATO.  (Nobody need point out that CATO's shouldn't be aired. Blah, blah, blah.)

If you didn't catch it, check your listings for the re-re-runs.

Estes E12 certified!?!

The following motor has been certified by NAR Standards & Testing for general use as a Model Rocket Motor effective September 29, 2011.


*************************************

Estes:

E12-0,4,6,8
24mm x 95mm
27.24 Newton-seconds Total Impulse
33.29 Newtons Peak Thrust
11.17 Newtons Average Thrust

Propellant mass: 35.9 grams

*************************************

PS - The question mark  in the title means I'm anxious to hear more.  Is it an E9 with a smaller nozzle?  What's the projected availability?  What other 'stealth' motors are in the pipeline?

Rocket girls #92

After visiting Wallops, Brittany Barnes (Jr. L-1) wrote Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.) in support of NASA's Commercial Crew initiative. The good Congressman wrote her back.  Way to go Brittany! (via)

Kpop rocket girl.

Kari Byron and Katie Deutsch working on Discovery's 

LDRS-30 show (via Liberty Launch Systems)

Lander work at MSFC

Clark Lindsey updates us on the status of robotic landers at the Marshall Space Flight Center:

The Robotic Lander Development Project at Marshall Spaceflight Center has been doing some Lunar Lander Challenge style test flights with their Mighty Eagle prototoype: NASA Robotic Lander Test Flight Nov. 4 Will Aid in Future Lander Designs - NASA - Oct.28.11

Rocket nosecone math

	+
	=
	+

To explain, I used the nose cone from El Tubo Loco for my Big Brute clone. The foam board fin can on the Carrot Top was looking ratty, so I remounted the carrot to fit the El Tubo Loco.  I could rework the beat up fin can or I might keep it for some future flight around rocket eating trees.  For now, it will sit in my growing pile of old and unused components.

Another Discovery LDRS promo

BayouRat's Tiki Hut, two flying(?) mannequins, Troj's CATO, a Coke recycling bin, a drag race, fire...this clip is the best yet.

Kari talks LDRS...and boobies...TGIF!

Last night, Kari Byron was on Conan pitching the new Discovery LDRS show that will air Sunday night, the 30th, at 10PM. I missed the interview, but found this clip of Kari and Conan talking about boobies. In what context you ask?  Well, if you didn't watch the show you'll have to watch the clip.  The source page also has 4 slideshows of Kari photos, for the rest of you stalkers out there.



This post is sure to up my hit rate :)

Recap: Rocket City Rednecks "Double Barreled Rocket"

Another spoiler-laden post based on my notes.  A laptop and the ability to pause and rewind shows in real-time  are key to compiling info while watching!

Thanks to the World Series, my regular Wednesday night shows were either preempted or are reruns. So, I decided to watch the new Rocket City Rednecks episode instead of taping it.  As a bonus, the following episode was a rerun of "Double Barreled Rocket." In this episode, the boys build a rocket based on an old water tank (among other junk).

The show starts with the member's families building modroc egg lofters.  Good fun!

The Double Barrel Rocket was humongous.  It featured two large pipes for the "super powerful" rocket engines that they bought.  I think the motors were 4" N's (via Travis in a TRF thread).  The propellant grains were epoxied into the metal cases, so they weren't your typical reloads. However, they looked like that had screw-in closures (?). 

The motor tube pipes were centered in a huge PVC pipe and the 3-4 ft. diameter water tower formed the capsule.  The launch tower was a water tower ladder fitted with a 'C' rail from a barn door.  The ladder made access easy.

The resulting rocket was 22ft tall and weighed 700lb.  They even loaded a 'crash test dummy'.  That was a bad omen - it CATOed at about 50'.  Apparently, the forward closures blew.  The fireball was impressive but I didn't catch a photo of it.  Travis seems upset that the commercial motors blew, but assembly error could be a reasonable assumption.  Oh well, it was entertaining.

Recap of How Hard Can It Be's "homemade rocket" episode

This post is mostly real-time notes taken while watching....spoilers ahead!  It was a fun show and I recommend you watch it.  If you can't or already have, read on!

Blogging the return of NCR

You should be able to find all the latest info here. So far, nothing that hasn't already been mentioned here. That could change at any time.

JP Aerospace sets airship altitude record (update #2)

In a press release sent to Clark Lindsey, John Powell of JP Aerospace announced that their Tandem airship successfully flew to 95,085 feet. With two balloons and two six foot propellers, ground controllers put it through a series of maneuvers. After one balloon burst, the second was released and the platform was recovered via five parachutes.   Total cost: $30K (presumably less labor since the team were volunteers).



P.S. - Just waiting for R2K to point out how they should have launched a high-power-class rocket from this baby :D

Update #2:  I found this news interesting largely because of the prospects of using such a platform to launch rockets.  For the record, the actual altitude is not a balloon record by itself, but rather a controlled flight at that altitude.  I see today where the Stratofox team announced they beat the standing Amateur Radio balloon record with a flight to136,545'.

Rocket guts!

The AIM-9R Sidewinder, a photo by skyhawkpc on Flickr.

The AIM-9R Sidewinder

Videos of the rocket-boosted XFY-1 Pogo

Upon further digging, I found videos of the rocket-powered aerodynamics testing of  0.133 scale rocket powered Convair XFY-1 "Pogo" models. I previously have posted a couple of still shots of the Pogo-equipped rocket but the videos show a lot more detail.  I am still surprised to see a propeller-driven airplane design tested atop a rocket.  Until I saw NASA Cultural Resources' videos, I didn't realize the airplane models were released for free-flight.  However, I guess it makes sense that the would be.

Pogo model prep and flight test on May 17, 1954.

Hover tests conducted at NASA Langley Research Center's Free Spinning Tunnel. If I do another PMC of the Pogo, I'm going to use this paint scheme.

Northern Lights seen in Potomac, MD!

Via Space Weather:

AURORAS IN THE USA--NOW! Northern Lights have spilled across the Canadian border into the contiguous USA. Observers report auroras as far south as Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri, Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland, New York, Ohio and central California. The display was caused by the CME impact described below.
CME IMPACT: A CME hit Earth's magnetic field on Oct. 24th at approximately 1800 UT (02:00 pm EDT). Acording to analysts at the Goddard Space Weather Lab, the impact caused a strong compression of Earth's magnetic field, allowing solar wind to penetrate all the way down to geosynchronous orbit for a brief period between 19:06 UT and 19:11 UT. Earth-orbiting spacecraft could have been directly exposed to solar wind plasma during that time. The impact also sparked a geomagnetic storm, underway now.

I looked out at about 11:15 EST but didn't see anything.Were they only visible shortly after sunset? Update:  Looking out tonight, the sky is clearly darker than last night.  Although the Northern Lights weren't clearly discernible, their effects were visible!

Homework for my readers

The NASA Cultural Resources (NasaCRgis) YouTube Channel has turned out to be a treasure trove of historic aviation (mostly) and rocket (some) videos.  I'm out of time and energy to search more right now.  If you find any good ones (other than the three I just posted about, please comment!

Vanguard TV3 CATO at Cape Canaveral

Vanguard TV3 CATO. Via NasaCRgis's YouTube Channel:

The Vanguard TV3 was launched on December 6, 1957 at Cape Canaveral Kennedy Space Center. It was the first attempt by the United States to put a satellite into orbit around Earth. However, the rocket only rose a few feet before crashing violently back onto the launchpad.

Another airplane model on the tip of a rocket

0.13-scale Rocket Boosted Model of the McDonnell F4H-1 launches from Wallops

Boost glider launches from Wallops, circa 1952

Here's another cool, long, worthwhile, historic video from NACA/Langley/Wallops: Rocket Model Flight Tests B-58 Program (the NASA Cultural Resources videos can't be embedded).  It's really interesting how the NACA engineers apparently bolted two rockets together and attached a B-58 model on top.  This is probably the oldest example of a boost glider that I've seen.  Here's the description attached to the video:

The test shows rocket model flight tests for the B-58 Program. The test is in conjunction with the Pilotless Aircraft Research Divison and features a 1/10-scale MX-1626 dummy. Test was conducted in 1952.

New documentary on the early days of rocketry at JPL - "The American Rocketeer"

I saw a post about this a while back but since it didn't seem to be available here, I didn't mention it.  But now, I feel the need to keep up with the Joneses.  As usual, Clark Lindsey does a great job gathering links...so I swiped his whole post (in the name of journalism :rolleyes:).  I hope this makes it to YouTube.

To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of JPL, new documentary about the Caltech/JPL rocket pioneer Frank Malina will make its debut on October 25th in Pasadena:
/-- Caltech Event Marks 75th Anniversary of JPL Rocket Tests - NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory - JPL - Oct.11.11

/-- The American Rocketeer - JPL - interview with Blaine Baggett of JPL who produced the film

/-- New documentary film “American Rocketeer” to debut at Caltech - The Rocketry Blog

Ramjet of the day (updated)

Found via DRB's Feel Good Issue #4:

A Leduc 0.22-01, fitted with a Turbomeca Atar D.3 turbojet, 1956 - more history here)

Later this morning, remembered why this looked so familiar.  Model Minutes US, once owned by Nick of EMRR fame but now OOP, had Leduc 22 rocket kit.  I had one but gave it to the son of one of my rocket buddies.  You can find a review on EMRR.

The most advanced point-and-shoot digicam

Since I last posted about the Lytro "Light-Field" camera, the details of the product are out and they are taking advance orders for shipment early next year. The camera is a small rectangular aluminum prism, with an f/2 zoom lens and a 2" square touchscreen. The controls include a power button, shutter button, and a slider to control its 8x zoom range. The Lytro has no controls for aperture, shutter speed, or focus.  The raw images capture the color, intensity, and direction of all the light in the field of view.  Once captured,  you can focus and re-focus and part of the picture, anytime.

While this sounds fascinating, there are limitations.  The quality of the photos won't be high quality, being equivalent to about a 2 MB image.  You will have to upload your images to the Lytro website or view them with a desktop utility.  The utility will initially only be available on Mac and, once on Windows, will require Flash.  Although you'll be able to embed them on sites like Facebook, you won't be able to send copies to your less tech savvy friends and family. Then there's the price - the 8GB version is $399 and the 16GB version is $499. Not that bad, but you can get a lot of standard camera for that money.  On the plus side, if the technology lives up to expectations it can only get cheaper.

(via ArsTechnica)

The mystery 5-stage rocket has been identified!

An anonymous reader identified the 5-stage rocket in the video that I posted about earlier in the week:

This appears to be an Aerolab Jason Argo E-5 -- see http://www.rocketryonline.com/jimball/alway/eighteen/jason.jpg

JSC's consolation prize: Parts of Pad 39B

Space.com reports that  NASA's Johnson Space Center received the 65-foot (20-meter) long orbiter access arm and its integrated "white room," an environmentally-controlled chamber.  The components came from Shuttle Pad 39B and hosted more than 50 crews over two decades of operation.  While not as cool as one of the Shuttles, these items should make a great public display.  Sometimes, you have take what your get.

INCOMING! (ROSAT update)

The DLR website provides us the latest update on ROentgen SATellite (ROSAT):  Reentry is estimated to be between October 22nd and 23rd; 30 individual pieces weighing a total of 1.7 tons may survive to impact; the debris trail will extend some 80km along the track.

Remember, the 1:2000 odds of it hitting someone is still 1:trillions for you.  My hope is that it comes in safely off the eastern seaboard at night and lots of cameras document the event. If it goes like UARS, there will be no confirmed photos so Thierry Legault's photos will be last anyone will see of it.

How hard can it be?

This is both the title of a National Geographic Channel series and a rhetorical question about navigating their website.  Surrounding the heated discussion about the Rocket City Rednecks, I forgot to look for the rocket episodes on the title show.  Luckily, Clark Lindsey reminded me.  Unluckily, I haven't found any info on the NatGeo website, other than the linked videos. I see it was on yesterday, so I set up to record a repeat next week.  I'll report back.

How Hard Can It Be? Homemade Rocket

Could an average joe send a rocket into space? The How Hard Can It Be? hosts, Vin, Paul and Eric, are about to find out. They've been building crazy machines and fabulous inventions together for years, but now their skills will literally be pushed to the limit. Using everyday materials and knowhow that anyone could acquire they'll attempt to launch a homemade rocket into the atmosphere.

Clark  provided two links to two video clips.  For me, however, they both loaded the 'balloon lifts house' episode and then progressed to other series. YMMV.
/-- Hardware Store Rocket -- How Hard Can It Be?/National Geographic
/-- Rocket Launch Test - How Hard Can It Be?/National Geographic

Ballistic Chicken Insanity

Ballistic Chicken Insanity, a photo by Sascha Grant on Flickr.

AeroTech Announces 2011 Economic Stimulus Sale

AeroTech Information Release

10/19/11

Another year has gone by, and the U.S. government still hasn’t done anything meaningful to help the average person or small business in this economy. So AeroTech is again doing its part by offering its authorized dealers and distributors significant incentives through the first week of of November as part of an "AeroTech 2011 Economic Stimulus Sale".

The sale includes all AeroTech model and high-power single-use motors and reload kits, 2.6" rocket kits and parts, ground support equipment and RMS™ model rocket motor hardware. The sales excludes high-power RMS hardware, AeroTech clothing, avionics, 1.9" rocket kits and 1.9" nose cones.

Now is the time to place orders with your participating dealer to stock up for the fall 2011 and spring 2012 flying seasons. AeroTech products also make great Christmas gifts for your favorite rocket enthusiast!

The sale ends Monday, November 7, although participating dealers may choose to continue offering incentives to consumers beyond that date.

AeroTech Consumer Aerospace is on Facebook! Follow the very latest AeroTech news, information, product developments and testing at http://www.facebook.com/pages/AeroTech-Consumer-Aerospace/159005948954

AeroTech Consumer Aerospace is a division of RCS Rocket Motor Components, Inc., Cedar City, UT.

Halloween is looming, so it must be time for a ZOMBIE POST

A few days ago, season 2 of The Walking Dead kicked off.  I am a big fan of this show.  The scene where our favorite group of survivors hid under cars to avoid a herd of zombies was intense.  There was also plenty of gross zombie head bashing.  Just because I'm a fan, it doesn't mean I think the show is perfect. For instance, I don't particularly care for the compulsory love triangle. Yawn.

Fellow rocketeer and Dead fan BrianC emailed me about Westlake Ace Hardware's website, which "Meets All Your Zombie Needs."  Build your toolkit before it's too late!

Finally, LiveScience reports on the the 2011 Zombie Safe House Competition, sponsored by  Architects Southwest, an architecture firm in Louisiana. Voting for the contest is now open and ends on Oct. 20.  I like zombies, but I could only make it through the first few entries.  I quickly began feeling like the beings that the entries are supposed to protect you against.

Long video of a NASA 5-stage rocket

Here's a link to a video on a NACA 5-stage rocket (embedding is disabled).  It shows the rocket's assembly and the interesting 1950's era control room.  It's also interesting that the top two stages appear to be cone stabilized using the transition to the next lower, and wider, stage.  The view of the first stage firing is OK but the quality of the video isn't great.  You can see all 5 stages ignite.

LDRS-30 Science Channel commercial

Bayourat posted the new commercial for the Science Channel's LDRS-30 show, which is due to air Sunday, October 30th at 10PM (probably EST, check your channel listing). Rockets and Kari, what's not to like?

MAKE salutes Mike Dorffler

The MAKE Magazine's blog features Mike Dorffler, creator of the Estes Cineroc, who passed away last year.  The author reminisces about his rocketry days, including the 1970 Estes catalog, Mike, and his Cineroc. Along the way he points to the catalog scan on Ninfinger and Rocketry Planet's tribute to Mike's life and legacy.  It's always nice to see rocketry items featured on predominately non-rocketry sites.  MAKE has put up a fair amount of rocketry related articles, many of which have been featured here.  Just follow the tag to find them.

Air and Space Magazine alert

Someone of TRF posted that the November issue of Air and Space will have an article on TARC, entitled The Lodi Rocket Rebels.

Eclectic Menagerie Park - Texas Pipe Supply

A huge armadillo, Snoopy, King Kong, and rockets, oh my!

The Eclectic Menagerie Park was created by the owners of Texas Pipe several years back as a way to give back to the community. The art work displayed on this page is located at Texas Pipe's main facility in Houston Texas. It faces Interstate Highway 288, a major thoroughfare that runs through Houston, Texas. All of the art work has been designed and built by a local artist that has used steel or retired equipment from Texas Pipe. The park has continued to grow over the years, and there are currently 2 new sculptures in the works.

  More via Flickr.

IMG_9964, a photo by lc_db on Flickr.

Bah

Yesterday, my motivation to drive and hour and a half each way to launch rockets fizzled.  I saw the projected wind speeds and decided not to go.  Murphy says they will be mild, which is good for those who did venture forth.  Also, I only really wanted to launch one rocket - my re-build Big Brute. The rest, meh.

Update:  Not that you give a rat's ass but, instead of rocketry. I took a load of old decking, fence posts, car parts, and a dead water cooler to the dump. Also dug up/trimmed the monkey grass in front of our house.  That stuff kicked my butt!  Also played a lot of Angry Birds on the borrowed tablet.  Billions of people can't be wrong - it is addictive.  I still don't like the tablet for anything that takes more than one short line of text.  Must...beat...the...next...level...

Red Glare XI

Per Bob Utley:

Wanted to let you know that Red Glare XI will be November 18-20, 2011. You can register now on-line and get a room at the Sleep Inn under Red Glare XI for the discount rate.

Defending the redneck

Well, I just checked back in with the TRF threads (#1 and #2) about the Rocket City Rednecks and found that Dr. Travis Taylor, aka the Ringleader, has joined and is giving more info about the show.  Well, and defending it too.  The TRF posters have been pretty much united in their contempt for the show.  Most sport rocketeers are sensitive when it comes to how our hobby is portrayed to the public. Despite the fact that the cast did a few things that are clearly silly to anyone who has used rocketry electronics,  I am less critical.  You can watch the show, read the thread, and draw your own conclusions.

It was a Wildman kit with a Rattworks Tribid motor. And, their own moonshine.

Travis, quit posting on TRF and make another rocket episode (even if your 1st season in a wrap). Update:  Here he tells more about the rockets they built for Season 1 (many of which never made it past the editors/producers) as well as some future rocket plans.

Estes Pro Series Nike Smoke to debut

There are posts about this forthcoming kit both on TRF and YORF.  It will debut at the iHobby show in Chicago in about a week.  Specs: 29mm mount, F26 to G80 motors, 41.75" tall, 3" OD, 500g without paint or decal, nylon 'chute, blow molded NC, 2-part through-the-wall plastic fins with internal braces.

Tablet test post

Just playing around with the HP tablet that my son bought when HP got out of the business. Having some data entry issues. Basic typing isn't too bad but editing is a pain and I haven't figured out spell check. Blogger kept giving me 404 errors when I tried to log in but then all of a sudden I was on. Had similar issues when trying to start this post.  Some of the editor buttons are fubar.  Unless I find out that most of these issues are somehow user error, I don't think I want one.  But, this is WebOS v. Android, so other products may work better. Noticed COSTCO had a Visio Android tablet, WiFi only, for $235.

Simulate (more) angular airframes in RockSim

In last month's Apogee newsletter, RockSim-meister Bruce Levison instructed us on ways we might simulate square rockets in RockSim.  I this month's edition, #297, Bruce extends his work to other angular cross sections, from a triangle to a dodecagon.  Past 12 sides, I suspect there isn't much need to use anything but an equivalent round tube.

Update on the new North Coast Rocketry

Matt "ManofSteele" Steele has been posting some updates on YORF. He had planned on an October 1st launch but reports he is behind because he was in Europe for business (my hear bleeds) and was set back by Darrell Mobley's passing (I have no idea why that delayed him). Here is the latest news:

I'm going to do a two-phase approach.

I am going to make many of the plans/fin patterns/decal masters for the old NCR kits available as "Plan Packs", all available for digital download. Kinda like iTunes, they will likely be $1.99 each. If you want to scratch-build them, these packs should contain enough information to clone most of the kits. Some of the kits that had custom molded parts (Space Shuttle, Avatar, Juno-1, etc.) will require a little more effort to duplicate, but the plans will be out there, for those who are interested.

All of the kits to be released will be new designs. Some will have the a "flavor" of the old kits (such as the "Lance Delta") but everything will be updated to reflect the best that I can offer for 2012. Other kit names that are coming (though most will not mean anything until you see the photos) are:

SR-99 Hyperswift
Argo D4 Javelin sport scale
Mighty Kat (a BP cluster kit similar to, but not the same as the Phoenix Rocketry kit by the same name)
SA-14 Archer Mk 3 (2.6" diameter)
Starship Equinox
Laserhawk

The kits will be offered in 3 versions - Basic (no parachute), Standard (parachute), Deluxe (parachute, display stand, rail buttons, motor retainer). That way you can pick what version you want.

A couple of new contest birds will also make an appearance, too.

Drones and nuttin' but drones

Here's a photo of the Navy's new, 'UFO-like' X-47B UAV.  Coming to an aircraft carrier near you in 2013. More info can be found here. Follow the post tag to see the music video. Since originally posting, I found a top view (below).  Has wings, not quite UFO-shaped.

I'm sure you've heard the reports that the USAF's drone control systems have been attacked by a keystroke logger.  There are many sources, but I'll refer you to the IEEE Spectrums Risk Factor blog.


A few days earlier, the Next Big Future  reported on a NYT article pointing out that the United State's 'monopoly' on armed UAVs is coming to an end.  The Chinese have unveiled some 25 models of armed UAVs.  The marketing of these included a simulation of one of them attacking a US aircraft carrier.  I guess we know who their target market might be. The article goes on to note the challenges this will raise, not only militarily but diplomatically.



Earlier, I had mentioned the protesters who got into it with the guards at the Air and Space Museum.  Evidently, they wanted to protest inside at the drone exhibit(s).

I also had seen a nice slideshow of UAV photos but I can't find it now.  Sorry.

Climax!

TMN-2719.jpg, a photo by goseid on Flickr.

Don't mess with Air and Space (the Museum, that is)

A group of protesters, possibly affiliated with the Occupy DC movement, reportedly tried push past security with signs and other paraphernalia that isn't allowed inside.  DC and Park Police were called and there may or may not have been macing of said protesters.  The upshot is the museum was closed and tonight's events were cancelled.  Occupy DC says they weren't affiliated with their group.  "Your assignment, should you chose to accept it.....If maced, we will disavow any knowledge of your actions." (via DCist)

Apollo 15 - Saturn V

Just scanned from my stash of NASA and NASA-related memorabilia.

BOATLIFT - An Untold Tale of 9/11 Resilience

EXCELLENT BALLS video - Qu8k flies to 121k ft (updated)

Here's a really good, but long, video detailing the flight of Derek Deville's Qu8k (pronounced "Quake"). It includes some build details including the totally amazing complement of electronics, multiple launch angles, even more amazing on-board footage (although I skipped through the final recovery section). It reportedly hit 121,000' before returning "safely to earth." I must be missing something because that sounds like a Carmack Prize winner to me. Maybe it wasn't flyable after landing? Someone on TRF answered this. The prize rules require altitude confirmation by GPS. Reportedly, all GPS units lost lock and the data looks hosed.

I have since found his website, which gives more details and presents photos documenting the build and flight.

More from BALLS XX: Video of the 'R' hybrid plus

I picked this video up from a post in the SugarShot email list. Good coverage of the Jeff Jakob's 'R' hybrid and another nice launch too. In the message, the poster mentioned there were a couple of sorbitol/diesel flights. Never heard of those, but if you can fly tar I guess diesel might work too.

Crowdsourcing the next great UAV

Via the Wired Danger Room:

Darpa is holding a contest to design the military’s next spy mini-drone. So far, the entrants include a flying pogo stick, a sail that lands on mosques, and an unmanned laser shooter.

Those are some of concept videos submitted to UAV Forge, a Pentagon experiment to crowdsource the development of unmanned aerial vehicles. DIY-drone hobbyists are encouraged to work together to create the flying spy-bot of the future. It has to fit in a rucksack and be operated by just one person without any help, guidelines say.

Current build

Is stalled.  Needs a nominally 11" tall action figure, Barbie, GI Joe, skeleton, or whatever.  Must have articulating hips and knees.  Budget for this item is $1.06.  Yard sale time?

The Boys are back in town...Public Enemy Fatboys are back!

Way back in the early 1999, I was just getting back into rocketry (again).  This time around there were computers and the Internet.  I scoured the Net for information on high power rocketry (HPR) and found Thrust66.com (now, via the WayBackMachine).  It was packed with Public Enemy Fatboy's, including some big upscales.  That year, I bought a 3" Baby Ultra Fatboy, which I dubbed the Mini Mojo.  I used it for my level-1 using an H242-M.  Later, it was lost in the trees for 2 years and was rebuilt with a new tube and replacement surface mount fins.  It flew last month and suffered a separation after the original nylon strap burned through...it is once again fixed up and flyable!  I bought this because I love the boat tail and forward mounted fins - very distinctive!

Along the way, PE went out of business.  But lo-and-behold, yesterday I read that the 4" Fatboy and Ultra Fatboy are being re-released by Dave Triano of Shadow Aero.  You can read the press release on ROL and what people are saying about this news on TRF.  Check out the awesome finish jobs on the promo kits!  The new versions feature the original PE cones and tail cones, but have thicker, pre-beveled fins and plywood rings.  The originals used thick fiber rings and IMO that was the one weakness in the originals.

Finally, here is a Baby Ultra Fatboy breaking mach on a J350 (via the Thrust66 archive).

Video shows fireball and Zenit booster

A wide field meteor camera at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center recorded this spectacular meteor breaking up in Earth's atmosphere on Sept. 30, 2011, 8:37 p.m. EDT. Also visible is a star-like object moving slowly toward the upper middle of the field of view -- the upper stage of the Zenit booster that launched the Russian Cosmos 2219 intelligence satellite back in 1992. Orbiting 500 miles above Earth, this empty rocket body can get bright enough to be seen with the unaided eye. (via)

Spaced out hump day news

Via io9, I learn of two new sun-studying satellites.  The ESA's Solar Orbiter, to be launched in 2017, will orbit closer to the Sun than any other satellite.  Since it is orbiting the Sun, it will be able to measure particle ejecta and magnetic fields around the Sun's poles. It will get as close as 48 solar radii and will reach temperatures of 500 degrees Celsius. Toasty!  Not to be out done, NASA's Solar Probe Plus will launch in 2018. This little hottie will enter the Sun's upper atmosphere at a mere 8.5 solar radii.  That is if it isn't first burned up by NASA budget battles.

Next, ParabolicArc reports on NASA's Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD).  Developed by a team led by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, it will be hosted on a commercial communications satellite developed by Space Systems/Loral.  The experiment, to be launched in 2016, will demonstrate high data rate communication between two (or more?) ground stations.  The long term interest is to provide high data rates to missions beyond the moon and even higher rates from LEO spacecraft.  I guess Mars-bound astronauts will want their premium channels.

That article also mentions that Goddard is developing a comm payload for the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE), which will go up in 2013.  Their Lunar Laser Communications Demonstration (LLCD) will test high rate communications but, since this is a very short mission, will only operate for 16 days. 

Review: Zoomie P-51D

Recently, TRF user Daddyisabar posted a thread on his Estes SpaceShipOne to P-40E kit bash.  I am a big fan of the SpaceShipOne as a subject for kit bashing (ref. the Goonball XL5 and SpaceShipSqrt(-1)).  I loved the P-40E and had another SpaceShipOne.  So, I decided to try a P-51D.  Daddyisabar coined the term 'zoomie' for a 'goonie' version of a scale aircraft.  I call mine the Zoomie P-51D. (So original, eh?).

Video of Jeff Jakob's huge R10000 hybrid flight

This may not super-duper exciting to the casual observer since it is fairly far away and much of the burn is only audible. BUT, the significance of this launch won't be lost on sport rocketeers. Steve incorporated his stills at the end of the actual video segment.

BALLS!

Eye candy provided by daveyfire.

X-37B OTV-2 update

Space.com notes that, as of last week, OTV-2 had been in orbit over 206 days on its way to its full 270 day mission.  Although its mission is still top secret, the Air Force will say that it is doing well and they are learning a lot. At a recent conference, Boeing reps noted that the X-37B is ready to fly to the ISS with no technology changes. They mapped out various uses for the design including upscales that could carry up to 7 astronauts.  Not bad for 'old-space'.

Jakob’s Hybrid R10000 Rocket Launch

Jakob’s Hybrid R10000 Rocket Launch, a photo by jurvetson on Flickr.

Steve Jurvetson notes that the up part was great but the airframe went "over the hills and far away."   This was Jeff's 7th attempt at an 'R' hybrid.  Lots of engineering and persistence went into this baby: 420 bolts, 200 lb of nitrous, and puny 28 lb of HTPB.  Click through for more details and, more importantly, more pictures.  Finally, Steve teases us with the prospect of videos.

100k ft is tough after all

Ben Brockert posted on Twitter that none of the 11 teams at BALLS who trying for John Carmack's 100k prize were successful.  About half didn't launch.  The Bayourat has a YouTube video of Jeff Taylor and Curt Newport's entry shredding. The video didn't show any detail so I didn't look it back up.

DIRECT Project 2 - Leviathan-140

Via Clark Lindsey comes news of the latest idea from the DIRECT team: the Leviathan-140 Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle. The '140' in the name represents the number of metric tons that it would put in LEO orbit.  Its two stages would both be reusable and would feature a unique multi-chamber Plug Nozzle propulsion system using LOX/LH₂. The 'plug nozzle' looks like an aerospike to me.  The web site has lots of tech details. 

Massive O Motor CATO at BALLS XX

Massive O Motor CATO at BALLS XX, a photo by jurvetson on Flickr.

Check out the full size photo for a better view of the rocket confetti. Now, THAT'S what I call rekitting! Actually, there probably many more pieces than the original number of components.

Big Brute clone completed

Well it's ready to fly.  As expected, it's a little heavier than the original but should be stable on a 'G' reload without extra nose weight.  The final touches included seasonably orange paint, orange rail buttons with black bolts (on the other side), and the compulsory MDRA sticker.

Smokey Sam launch

Although not embeddable, here's a nice launch shot of a Smokey Sam.  From there, you can find several other launch shots.

The Smoky Sam is a small, solid foam rocket that is used to simulate actual missile attacks during training exercises. Here's of a bank of them.

Smokey SAM, originally uploaded by Herbert Welmers.