Topic: =/\= amateur father and son team launch craft into space  (Read 2131 times)

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Offline stoneyface

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=/\= amateur father and son team launch craft into space
« on: October 03, 2010, 06:47:07 pm »
after being told that NASA was not going to document their project they decided to do it themselves. (good for them!)

they launched a 19" weather balloon with a payload if a gps unit and an iphone and amazingly it landed only 30 miles away! after reaching almost 19 miles up, it fell back to earth with a parachute assist to preserve the payload and was easily retrieved. they even have a movie to prove it :) congrats to them!

http://gothamist.com/2010/10/02/video_spacecraft_launched_from_newb.php

couple movies both textless and regular also hosted here: http://www.wpix.com/news/wpix-spacecraft-orbit,0,4080505.story
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Offline Capt_Bearslayer_XC

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Re: =/\= amateur father and son team launch craft into space
« Reply #1 on: October 03, 2010, 06:59:20 pm »
*sigh*

NASA must have been too busy making amends to Islam...

It really is time to dissolve a majority of NASA's functions and make them more of a FAA type of organization.
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Offline knightstorm

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Re: =/\= amateur father and son team launch craft into space
« Reply #2 on: October 03, 2010, 07:19:32 pm »
19 Miles up is space?

Offline Tus-XC

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Re: =/\= amateur father and son team launch craft into space
« Reply #3 on: October 03, 2010, 10:23:09 pm »
no, 100km (~62 miles) is the commonly accepted boundry for space. 
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Offline marstone

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Re: =/\= amateur father and son team launch craft into space
« Reply #4 on: October 04, 2010, 07:07:57 am »
I do have to agree with NASA on this one.  A weather balloon launch in not very worthy.  It is a cool project to do, but nothing new being tested out.  These are done all the time.
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Offline knightstorm

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Re: =/\= amateur father and son team launch craft into space
« Reply #5 on: October 04, 2010, 08:33:26 am »
Good point Marstone.  Actually the balloon accomplishes less than what's done all the time.  It wasn't carrying any instrumentation other than a camera and GPS.  It would be a fun project, but I have to wonder why the article sensationalized it.

Offline Brush Wolf

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Re: =/\= amateur father and son team launch craft into space
« Reply #6 on: October 04, 2010, 03:44:15 pm »
Good point Marstone.  Actually the balloon accomplishes less than what's done all the time.  It wasn't carrying any instrumentation other than a camera and GPS.  It would be a fun project, but I have to wonder why the article sensationalized it.

Slow news day and a shot at NASA (and Washington) for being almost completely out of the space business.
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Offline stoneyface

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Re: =/\= amateur father and son team launch craft into space
« Reply #7 on: October 05, 2010, 07:54:29 am »
i would guess because it was completely amateur done project
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