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REB

Banned

From: Houston, Texas

Registered: 2004-04-07

Posts: 555

Website

Re: Amateur rocket fired into space - Civilian Space Exploration

Check it out!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/natu … 724841.stm

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"Run for it? Running's not a plan! Running's what you do, once a plan fails!"  -Earl Bassett

Bill White

Member

Registered: 2001-09-09

Posts: 2,114

Re: Amateur rocket fired into space - Civilian Space Exploration

More info here:

http://www.bevnet.com/news/2004/05-12-2 … rocket.asp

Euler

Member

From: Corvallis, OR

Registered: 2003-02-06

Posts: 922

Re: Amateur rocket fired into space - Civilian Space Exploration

I am surprised that this has not been done before.  Launching a suborbital rocket is not really very difficult.

REB

Banned

From: Houston, Texas

Registered: 2004-04-07

Posts: 555

Website

Re: Amateur rocket fired into space - Civilian Space Exploration

You would think it would not be too difficult to fill a long tube with fuel and launch it into space. I don’t claim to be a rocket scientist, but I suspect there is more to it than that.

So perhaps it was not so easy for the private sector to do, but maybe, thanks to these folks, it will be.

Perhaps we are seeing the first steps to Mars and beyond.

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"Run for it? Running's not a plan! Running's what you do, once a plan fails!"  -Earl Bassett

clark

Member

Registered: 2001-09-20

Posts: 6,362

Re: Amateur rocket fired into space - Civilian Space Exploration

They didn't just launch a rocket to LEO. They launched a payload into LEO.

Now that is impressive.

quasar777

Member

Registered: 2002-05-05

Posts: 135

Re: Amateur rocket fired into space - Civilian Space Exploration

there`s a reason why this hasn`t been done. 9/11 restrictions. pre 9/11 there was an actual contest happening in the Northern Nevada desert.

REB

Banned

From: Houston, Texas

Registered: 2004-04-07

Posts: 555

Website

Re: Amateur rocket fired into space - Civilian Space Exploration

Good point clark. No one but a government has sent a payload into space, until now.

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"Run for it? Running's not a plan! Running's what you do, once a plan fails!"  -Earl Bassett

Rxke

Member

From: Belgium

Registered: 2003-11-03

Posts: 3,669

Re: Amateur rocket fired into space - Civilian Space Exploration

LEO? they didn't go orbital... It went 100km up, technically that's space, but still suborbital...

clark

Member

Registered: 2001-09-20

Posts: 6,362

Re: Amateur rocket fired into space - Civilian Space Exploration

Hey, don't rain on my parade.

Pluto is a planet, and the rocket got to LEO.   

Someone isn't going to get that camera for Christmas if they don't behave...

Rxke

Member

From: Belgium

Registered: 2003-11-03

Posts: 3,669

Re: Amateur rocket fired into space - Civilian Space Exploration

*Mental image of Clark/Santa using amateur rockets to internationally send the presents through the chimneys of unsuspecting good kids' houses*

HOHOHO!