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Starchaser Rocket Capsule Drop Tests Successful
thaig writes "Starchaser Industries reports that their NOVA 2 rocket capsule has completed two manned drop-tests from an altitude of 10,000 feet. The capsule was put through a number of manoeuvres during its descent to fully validate the steerable ram-air parachute canopy that made it possible to fly the craft like a glider.
Starchaser Industries' Thunderbird project is a contender for the $10 million X-PRIZE.
Here's the earlier story."
Well Starchaser are supposed to be launching their one man Nova rocket with sometime this year, with teamleader Steve Bennett in the pilots seat. However they said that last year... Britain could have been third country to orbit a satellite in the sixties had the Black Prince launcher been given the go ahead (see http://members.aol.com/nicholashl/ukspace/ukspace. htm for a
comprehensive history of British rocketry in the fifties and sixties),
and was the sixth to orbit in 1971. But remember that Britain was very
much the declining power at this time and the labour government was
cancelling most areospace projects at the time. Its typically British
that we're the only country that developed a launcher then cancelled
it after one sucessful flight.
Bethanie: Whore...
Fan Whore
I dunno about the capsule, but their site spiralled down in flames and crashed before there was even a single comment.
Please help metamoderate.
Starchaser Industries have successfully completed two manned parachute drop tests of their NOVA 2 rocket capsule.
The manned drop tests were carried out at the Red Lake drop zone in Arizona USA on the 22nd and 24th July 2003. The capsule was deployed from the rear cargo door of a Fairchild C123K aircraft at an altitude of 10,000 feet.
The capsule was put through a number of manoeuvres during its descent to fully validate the steerable ram-air parachute canopy that made it possible to fly the craft like a glider. Nova 2 was then brought in for a precision landing. Steve Bennett, Managing Director of Starchaser Industries, said, "We are pleased with how the capsule has performed, we've completed two very successful flights. These drop tests mark a significant milestone in Starchaser Industries manned space programme. We have proved the different key systems in our rocket programme and now have the technology to push forward in our bid to win the X PRIZE"
Weighing in at 250 kg and measuring 3-meters in length, the single seat Nova 2 capsule has become Britain's first manned rocket capsule and has been developed to test a variety of systems for use in project Thunderbird; Starchaser Industries entry into the US $10 million X PRIZE, which is on offer to the first non-governmental organisation capable of launching three people into space.
Steve Bennett is available for comment following the success of the manned drop tests, video footage and digital stills are available, please contact Lee Kirby on 08700 278766288 or email lee@starchaser.co.uk
Anyone know how they plan to slow it from orbital speed to a speed where they and safely deploy the 'chute?
This would seem to be the second hardest part. (Hardest being geting the thing orbial in the first place.)
-Peter
That story was about planning a test drop. This story describes how the test drop has been finished successfully.
1.) You can get insurance for anything, the Premiums may be a little high though.
2.) They aren't going into orbit so there is no way to get stuck. It's a simple projectile trajectory, up and down like a cannon ball.
3.) That's the point of the X-Prize.
4.) We can only hope!
Is it really easier to design and build a craft to take you 100 miles above the earth and return safely than it is to track down Saddam?
You get 35 million for Saddam, only 10 million for turning into a shooting star.
1) Your analysis is based on bad assumptions so your result is way off. 2) You're a sick bastard for fucking a horse.
Those incidents you refer to were all several years ago. Starchaser has definitely improved its reputation since then, for its three recent major accomplishments in the last 24 months have all been positive:
37-ft. Nova rocket blasts off!
Churchill liquid engine test success
Nova II capsule test drop success
The next few months will be very exciting. Starchaser plans to integrate all three of the above accomplishments in one project: the manned launch of the Nova rocket -- outfitted with the new Churchill engines -- carrying the Nova II capsule as payload!
The name Starchaser is a bit optimistic. ... LEOlimper.
:-) so a parachute is somewhat redundant.
How about
So far all they've done is chuck it off the back of a plane.
Anyway to get the 10 megabucks the thing only has to be
capable of launching three people into space.
No mention of gettin em back
Now where can i find three volunteers????
siggy played guitar
I think it's one thing for a little team to build a narrow electric car where the government spent billions and failed, but another entirely to do sub orbital flights where the resources of NASA are still not enough to prevent tragedies like the shuttle accidents. Serious life loss is surely imminent, but the most ironic thing of all is that even if some people do make it up and down again, it can surely never lead to actual orbital flights as the engineering and physics problems associated with getting in an out of the atmosphere really do need astronomical resources to solve?
Being from the little town where Bennet is from