comcn writes "The BBC have an article about an amateur "rocketeer" trying to send himself into space. After the £7m prize was announced for the first non-commercial person to get into space, it seems there are now several people aiming to win it. Cool."
Good. So he'll come back safely; just without a head.
It's all about da Benjamins, baby...
by
Knunov
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· Score: 5, Funny
From the article:
"Mr Bennett...wants to win the $10m...X-Prize. This award...will go to the first non-governmental outfit to put people on a rocket...62 miles...above the Earth...flying twice within a two-week period...[and]...also carry passengers."
In other news:
"A group of loosely organized computer enthusiasts from the website Slashdot have developed a space vehicle called the "Leech".
This craft is essentially a septic tank with enormous velcro straps. They have apparently bribed a NASA engineer with a $1m payday if he lets them piggyback on the space shuttle.
A model rocket engine has been attached to the rear of he septic tank because hey, rules are rules.
Knunov
-- Why do users with IDs under 100,000 or over 700,000 usually have the most worthwhile comments?
Re:Not almost there
by
AndroidCat
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· Score: 2, Funny
It was 5000' not 5000m. Say! Do you work for NASA by any chance?:^)
Of course that makes the remaining job even harder. What he's got now is just a big model rocket.
-- One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
Don`t Hold Your Breath...
by
Anonymous Coward
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· Score: 1, Funny
I remember hearing that Steve Bennett built the capsule of the rocket from cement mixer parts, which is uncanny because he will be shitting bricks when he tries to launch himself into space.
so much for my humorous title...
by
jpellino
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· Score: 2, Funny
it was going to say "Thunderbirds are GO!" - but, dag nab it - one of these critters is actually NAMED "Thunderbird".
These run the gamut from "It's hard to imagine betting against Burt Rutan" to John Candy's old "that blowed up REAL good!"
One or two of them is simply missing "ACME Corporation" painted on the side...
I'll be the first to cheer if someone figures out how to do this reliably and cheaply. But you'd think this roster would have fewer - um - "outliers". The plane-to-rocket transition seems to be the favorite approach - on the other hand - MacCready et. al. didn't win the Kremer prizes by thinking the same as the other teams.
Gotta love the flying saucer from Oregon (by the way - we've all spent 5 minntes on the ROTOR ride (big salad spinner) at the county fair - can you imagine the aliens getting out of a spinning saucer after a multiyear trip? "Klaatu! Gort barada nik- URRRRRRRRRP!!!!! RAAAAAAAAALPH!!! Oh God...WOOOOOOOOOOOF!!! Klaatu - kill me now!")
This has to be the ultimate Big Comp for most of these folks. A copy of Strata 3D, a few glam shots in front of someone else's cool plane that ain't going to space? Cute. Dangerous. Naiive. Load people into a rocket that's literally floating in the ocean? You can't load a cup full of coffee in 2ft seas - so why give up the stability of land?
Oh well - we weren't going to have another great meteor storm for a while - this'll have to do.
-- "Win treats sysadmins better than users. Mac treats users better than sysadmins. Linux treats everyone like sysadmins."
phaeton sez:
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: 1, Funny
Hey, i read that article over kinda quick. I don't think it placed any limitations on *how much* of your body you catapult into space. Does it have to be complete or in one piece?
Slashdot Mirror
...is going to get the title Best Darwin Award Ever.
I am from space, I have already been there. I was born there. I tried telling them that but they still wouldn't give me my money.
The rocketeer said the launch was 85% successful.
Good. So he'll come back safely; just without a head.
From the article:
"Mr Bennett...wants to win the $10m...X-Prize. This award...will go to the first non-governmental outfit to put people on a rocket...62 miles...above the Earth...flying twice within a two-week period...[and]...also carry passengers."
In other news:
"A group of loosely organized computer enthusiasts from the website Slashdot have developed a space vehicle called the "Leech".
This craft is essentially a septic tank with enormous velcro straps. They have apparently bribed a NASA engineer with a $1m payday if he lets them piggyback on the space shuttle.
A model rocket engine has been attached to the rear of he septic tank because hey, rules are rules.
Knunov
Why do users with IDs under 100,000 or over 700,000 usually have the most worthwhile comments?
It was 5000' not 5000m. Say! Do you work for NASA by any chance? :^)
Of course that makes the remaining job even harder. What he's got now is just a big model rocket.
One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
I remember hearing that Steve Bennett built the capsule of the rocket from cement mixer parts, which is uncanny because he will be shitting bricks when he tries to launch himself into space.
it was going to say "Thunderbirds are GO!" - but, dag nab it - one of these critters is actually NAMED "Thunderbird".
These run the gamut from "It's hard to imagine betting against Burt Rutan" to John Candy's old "that blowed up REAL good!"
One or two of them is simply missing "ACME Corporation" painted on the side...
I'll be the first to cheer if someone figures out how to do this reliably and cheaply. But you'd think this roster would have fewer - um - "outliers". The plane-to-rocket transition seems to be the favorite approach - on the other hand - MacCready et. al. didn't win the Kremer prizes by thinking the same as the other teams.
Gotta love the flying saucer from Oregon (by the way - we've all spent 5 minntes on the ROTOR ride (big salad spinner) at the county fair - can you imagine the aliens getting out of a spinning saucer after a multiyear trip? "Klaatu! Gort barada nik- URRRRRRRRRP!!!!! RAAAAAAAAALPH!!! Oh God...WOOOOOOOOOOOF!!! Klaatu - kill me now!")
This has to be the ultimate Big Comp for most of these folks. A copy of Strata 3D, a few glam shots in front of someone else's cool plane that ain't going to space? Cute. Dangerous. Naiive. Load people into a rocket that's literally floating in the ocean? You can't load a cup full of coffee in 2ft seas - so why give up the stability of land?
Oh well - we weren't going to have another great meteor storm for a while - this'll have to do.
"Win treats sysadmins better than users. Mac treats users better than sysadmins. Linux treats everyone like sysadmins."
Hey, i read that article over kinda quick. I don't think it placed any limitations on *how much* of your body you catapult into space. Does it have to be complete or in one piece?