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Dynaverse.net => Hawkeye's Roost => Topic started by: stoneyface on October 03, 2010, 06:47:07 pm

Title: =/\= amateur father and son team launch craft into space
Post by: stoneyface 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

Title: Re: =/\= amateur father and son team launch craft into space
Post by: Capt_Bearslayer_XC 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.

Title: Re: =/\= amateur father and son team launch craft into space
Post by: knightstorm on October 03, 2010, 07:19:32 pm

19 Miles up is space?

Title: Re: =/\= amateur father and son team launch craft into space
Post by: Tus-XC on October 03, 2010, 10:23:09 pm

no, 100km (~62 miles) is the commonly accepted boundry for space. 

Title: Re: =/\= amateur father and son team launch craft into space
Post by: marstone 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.

Title: Re: =/\= amateur father and son team launch craft into space
Post by: knightstorm 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.

Title: Re: =/\= amateur father and son team launch craft into space
Post by: Brush Wolf on October 04, 2010, 03:44:15 pm

Quote from: knightstorm 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.

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

Title: Re: =/\= amateur father and son team launch craft into space
Post by: stoneyface on October 05, 2010, 07:54:29 am

i would guess because it was completely amateur done project