Amateur Rocket Launch a Failure; NASA Debuts Shuttle-cam

Anonymous Coward writes "CNN has posted the story of the failure of the amateur rocket launch that was reported in a previous Slashdot story. 'The launch was spectacular and the rocket was performing as planned. However, the rocket experienced motor failure during the flight and the flight was terminated," said Eric Knight, co-leader of the CSXT mission.' NASA is planning to mount a camera on the external fuel tank and broadcast an October 2nd shuttle launch.

Comments

Who else wonders about sabotage?

[burgburgburg]

While I realize that rocket science is ... rocket science, I still wonder if anyone else finds the raft of unsuccessful launches by the non-majors to be suspicious. That perhaps one or more of the successful launchers, wanting to protect their market, defend the upper atmosphere, hide something or all of the above, would take some direct action to ensure failure.

Yet another NASA sabotage?

[wackybrit]

In 1964, John F Kennedy stood upon the podium near to the Washington monument and made a promise that the United States would land the first man on the moon. He established NASA by royal charter and proclaimed 'Americans have held out against all odds to be as powerful as we are today. We will do it again. No matter what we have to do, we will land on the moon.' And so a nation was charged up, ready to reach the stars. NASA was the group to do it.

Unfortunately JFK wasn't joking. NASA was covered under similar laws to the federal police, in that they could enact 'emergency laws' giving them special legal powers in special situations. These included sabotage, or the ability to murder those who stood in the way of a moon landing.

NASA is now less powerful and receives less funding, but the laws are still in place. Even Bush is aware that NASA often sabotages its own missions, including the 1993 Mars Observer mission.

NASA knows what's going on on Mars, the documentary 'Mission To Mars' proves it. They don't want anyone getting there first.

Don't bother trying any more, amateurs.. NASA will keep your feet on the ground.

it's still damn fast

[morcheeba]

not to nitpick, but it's annoying when media messes up simple numbers because it makes me wonder if either (a) they just believe everything they're told without checking it or (b) they're getting sloppy with their facts...

The Civilian Space eXploration Team (CSXT) had designed the unmanned Primera rocket to reach a height of more than 60 miles. ... The Primera was expected to reach its lofty goal within 90 seconds, which would have broken CSXT's previous world record for amateur rocket speed of 3,205 mph.

Simple math says 60 miles in 90 seconds is 2400 mph, and 2400 mph is less than 3205 mph.