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Starchaser Plans Test Drop

Posted by michael on from the egg-drop-soup dept.

cwalkden writes "Everybody's favourite amateur rocketman, Steve Bennett has unveiled his new space capsule that he hopes will get him one step closer to the edge of space. This one is due to undergo a test descent (with Steve inside) in Arizona. Earlier versions of Steve's capsules included one made with a cement mixer and some old joysticks." Our previous story was in 2001.

13 of 149 comments (clear)

  1. TV Land? by blackmonday · · Score: 4, Funny

    Why do I have the sudden longing to watch a McGyver re-run?

    1. Re:TV Land? by FyRE666 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      From the previous BBC article (concerns over safety):

      BBC News Online put these criticisms to Steve Bennett. He responded: "We are not planning any tests such as wind tunnel or vibration tests before we launch it. That is what the test flight is for."
      Man this guy has serious balls ;-)

      On a related note; there was a programme along the lines of ScrapHeap that aired a while back in the UK where 3 teams from the UK, USA and France (I think) were given the task of building aircraft with the eventual goal of competing for maximum distance, and controllability (they had to land on a line). The caveat was that only tools and materials from the Wright brother's era were allowed to build the craft.

      Anyway, come the day, the French and US teams had based their craft upon proven designs, whereas the UK entry was just made up out of thin air so nobody knew quite what would happen! The teams took it in turns to test; the French pilot got his plane rolling and practiced a few hops a few feet in the air. The US team did something similar, but with a little more height, and damaged their craft a bit.

      Now the UK team went for their "test run". The pilot gave it full throttle and launched himself into orbit (one of the ground crew mentioned the pilot was "a bit of a nutter") - the thing was hundred of feet up, the pilot - big shit-eating grin plastered across his face was throwing it around the sky for several minutes before making a perfect landing in front of the astonished opponents! It was so utterly irresponsible, but cool at the same time - not testing, just give it some welly and see what happens. Brilliant!

      Obviously the UK entry won pretty convincingly in the real flight.

      --
      Code, Hardware, stuff like that.
  2. Science lovers by mao+che+minh · · Score: 4, Funny
    It is amazing how passionate some people are about science (especially astronomy). It takes a brave and inquisitive person to take the time to not only develop such a vessel, but to also test it.

    I earnestly wanted to share in this man's interest, but that "free underwear vouchers" ad in the right hand column got me......distracted. Figleaves.com baby.

  3. In the words of Gus Grissom... by HotNeedleOfInquiry · · Score: 4, Funny
    "Spam in a can"

    --
    "Eve of Destruction", it's not just for old hippies anymore...
  4. YESS!! by kingkade · · Score: 5, Funny

    This one is due to undergo a test descent (with Steve inside) in Arizona.

    i got dibs on his stereo and leather jacket.

    --
    why run from Vincenzo?
  5. Cement mixer and some old joysticks by raskchanky · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sweet! Nothing inspires confidence in your homemade spacecraft like listing the garage-sale parts it was built from. I'm betting he's got a few toilet paper tubes in there somewhere too, most likely as part of the exhaust system.

  6. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  7. cement mixer? by cpeterso · · Score: 4, Informative


    The article says that his rocket resembles a cement mixer, not that it actually was a cement mixer.

    "But other rocket experts are worried, not least because the Thunderbird capsule resembles a converted cement mixer, containing sheets of hardboard and a few computer joysticks."

    --
    cpeterso
  8. You think this sounds a bit amatuerish... by sprouty76 · · Score: 5, Interesting
    I remember when he had one of his real unmanned rockets displayed in a bar in Manchester, then the lorry to transport it got delayed, so it had to be carried on foot through the city centre!

    From http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/ewm/newsletter/e wm302.html (near the bottom):

    IMAGINE THE SPACE SHUTTLE BEING CARRIED by a team of men through the streets of New York. Well Hyde rocket man Steve Bennett had to have his team of assistants carry his rocket Starchaser 3a through the streets of Manchester. It had been on show at the Fab cafe theme bar, Portland St, and should have been taken to Salford University for a lecture, but the lorry booked to carry it was delayed, so it had to be transported using leg and shoulder power! Salford University lecturer Steve hopes to make it big through his rocket-building hobby-turned-business, and predicts a glowing future for space travel. Who knows, maybe in a few years time we'll be blasting off in one of Steve's rockets from Ringway to Mars on a late booking.

    Anyway, he's been a local minor celebrity for years now, all the best to him.

    --

    No, I don't want a free iPod

  9. Bennet's early "tests" were HP model rocket flight by StefanJ · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The High Power rocketry community is fairly amused by Bennet.

    A lot of his early tests, some of which were filmed for an X Prize documentary, appeared to be flights of a big model rocket, powered by commercially available rocket motors.

    Nothing wrong with that, but you can't really learn anything of value by doing this that would be applicable in making a rocket capable of boosting a capsule to office.

    I would be more impressed to see Bennet testing liquid fuel rocket motors. Amatuers on this side of the pond (e.g., the Pacific Rocket Society) have been doing this for YEARS without coming up with a "man rated" motor.

    Stefan

  10. Why wait till the last minute? by countach · · Score: 4, Funny


    Give him a Darwin award now, while he's still alive to enjoy it!

  11. Hmmm... sounds familiar by jonfromspace · · Score: 4, Funny

    Dot Com Boom:
    Step 1: Build Website

    Step 2: ??????

    Step 3: Profit!

    Upcoming Space Boom:
    Step 1: Build Homemade Rocket

    Step 2: ??????

    Step 3: Death!

    --
    I am become Troll, destroyer of threads
  12. Re:this guy is a moronic blowhard by Pyromage · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "Thomas edison worked on the problem of designing a filament for an electric light bulb for nearly two years. An issastant once asked him how he could keep trying after failing so many times. Edison didn't understand the question. In his mind, he hadn't failed at all. He is supposed to have replied, "What failure? I know thousands of things that do not work."

    From http://www.gamasutra.com/features/19991222/mcconne l_02.htm

    Insult him for being stupid. Insult him for using cheap rockets. But don't insult the man for trying. Don't knock him because he hasn't succeeded. Don't berate him for not being the best.

    You may hate him for statements he makes, but at least he tries. Most people I know haven't the spine to do anything requiring half the courage as what he's trying. I may not respect him for what he chooses to attempt, but I respect his courage, and that he does attempt it.