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European Space Shuttle Prototype Lands Safely In Sweden
This Nick Is Taken writes "Yahoo! News reports the successful test of a German designed prototype of the European space shuttle, Phoenix , taking place in the north of Sweden, moving the first all European mission into space one step closer."
This prototype space shuttle (named Phoenix), is expected to replace the current shuttles in use in two years time.
*time passes*
The prototype space shuttle expected to replace the current fleet owned by ESA will no longer be realeased under the name Phoenix, but instead will be released under the name Firebird. The recent name change was due to another project already underway by the Russian Space Agency. Both decided the name change would be best to avoid confusion between the two projects.
*time passes*
ESA's new prototype shuttle was again recently re-dubbed Firefox (formerly Firebird, formerly Phoenix) to avoid confusion with a NASA program that had started up some months earlier...
*time passes*
ESA's prototype shuttle program is being braced for yet another name change. This time a Linux web browser project made claim to the name Firefox. The development team for the new shuttle is beginning to wonder weather a name for the project is nessesary.
You are confusing me with someone who cares.
Holy f**k, we have a space shuttle (well ok program).
:)
When the fluff did that happen
Tomorrow I'll be waking up & finding out we are on Mars!
Now just to estimate the airspeed velocity of an unladen European space shuttle. It's just a simple question of weight ratios.
Anybody see the photo of that thing? Check out the needle on the front of it. Does it land like a lawn dart?
"Derp de derp."
and i thought the first all european space program was the russian space program....
From the article:
The next step likely will be to drop the prototype from higher altitudes, with the help of a high-altitude balloon
And the next step after that should be to send one of those Opportunity rovers to explore the surface of Sweden and see if they can find any water
The belief in a biblical god is an ignorant one
Is it really a good idea to name your new Space Shuttle after a Mythical Bird which is well know for bursting into flame?
0110100100100000011000010110110100100000011000100
I could have sworn we only had five to begin with. Columbia, Discovery, Challenger, Atlantis, Endeavour and (if you count it) the Prototype Enterprise. Seeing as how we only had five to begin with (now three, unfortunataley) how could be have gotten over a hundred back?
Becuase they each flew more than once is why.
Human genome = 3 billion base pairs = 6 GBit. Windows + Office = 20 Gbit. Which is more impressive?
Only if it has a pony. I want a pony.
Wah!
all this is, is the european union trying to say "hey look america! we can be like you too!"
Yeah, it does remind me of the USA space program which so clearly said "hey look Russia! we can be like you too!"
...it's only a model.
One-sixth scale.
But when the hell did Bill Gates get a job at ESA? :-)
Presumably the payload is carried by two shuttles using a length of creeper suspended under the dorsal guiding wings.
Steve:)
Begun in Germany and currently under development in Europe by EADS the Phoenix will be, together with the Ariane 5, the European vehicle for space conquest."
Space conquest? Germany?
Erm, hello?
"Win treats sysadmins better than users. Mac treats users better than sysadmins. Linux treats everyone like sysadmins."
The primary aim of the test was to assess the glider potential of the craft. The final version of the vehicle must be able to glide from an altitude of 80000000000000 miles.
Is it just me, or does 80 trillion miles seem to be a bit far to be termed 'gliding'. As well, when you're that far away I don't believe you're talking about 'altitude' any longer either. I mean, Pluto is only 3.6 Billion miles away, I guess gliding from a distance of 20,000 times further than pluto for a landing on earth's surface isn't too much to ask.
This is not a sig.
You'd think that ONE pair of airplanes dumped in your faces would be sufficient to point out that this insular mindset makes America rather unloved by the rest of humanity. Get over it, you're humans, just like the rest of us. (only slightly heavier and less adept at mastering your own language.)
Congratulations Europe! Best of luck! Be careful of letting French guys on board, they may surrender the space craft to someone.