Volunteers Needed for Space Launch

BradNeuberg writes "The Ansari X Prize needs volunteers to help at the Scaled Composites and da Vinci Project's launch attempts in the next few months! I've digitized and created BitTorrent's of an Ansari X Prize video that is pretty cool and can tell you more about what we are doing. Want to be a volunteer? Sign up here. I've also set up a carpool and rideshare list for those who can offer or want a ride down to Mojave, CA to see history made."

Comments

Future Dates?

[ackthpt]

How cool! Mojave is on the way to Death Valley where I'll be going on vacation in a couple months. It would be spifftacular to stop by there to help out, though the only date I saw on the sign up was Sept 29th, which is too soon.

When in the neighborhood be sure to check out the huge wind farm on the western side of the Tehachapi Pass, the Tehachapi Loop and all the mothballed aircraft parked outside of Mojave. There's also camping up at Red Rock Canyon State Park (a great place to watch for meteor showers =)

da Vinci launch as well?

[Drakonian]

The Slashdot blurb mentions both SpaceShipOne and the da Vinci (Golden Palace?) launch needed volunteers. But the page linked seems to only talk about the SS1 launch. Do you sign up to volunteer for the da Vinci launch here as well?

I ask because it's relatively close to me. It's in Kindersley, Saskatchewan.

Da Vinci Project Rocket

[Slurms]

I would like to see some pictures of the rocket that the Da Vinci Project actually expects to launch in less than a month.

The pictures I see on their site just seem to be a fibreglass and plywood mockup from last year. At least I hope it's a mockup.

Maybe fibreglass is tougher stuff than I think it is, and maybe it will behave better than I think will under accelleration at low atmospheric pressures.

But then I'm am not a rocket scientist, but I do play doctor when given the opportunity.

Re:Da Vinci Project Rocket

[Penguinshit]

Uh, buddy, Rutan is using carbon fiber composites, not fiberglass over foam (which is what my surfboard is made of, and as much air as I like to catch using it, I'm not going for the X-Prize). Fiberglass is not a suitable material for building air/spacecraft (although you can include it in certain non/low-stress components).

not like any other gathering.

[deathcloset]

they will need the help, but not so much as other events of similar size.

I was present at the first SpaceShipOne manned spaceflight and I must say, the whole experience was so unique.

I've been to many large events/gatherings and I must say that the crowd that gathered for that launch was remarkable: unusual.

Probably the most obvious indicator that this was no ordinary crowd was the state of the portable bathrooms: they were spotless.

Go to any concert and the sanitary conditions of those things is horrific; but here there was nary a corner of toilet tissue on the floor.

Which brings me to the second observation: no litter. There was, seriously, no litter. Even in my extraordinarily beleaguered state I was taken aback at how spotless everything was as the crowd dispersed following the landings.

Another observation of note, the din: there was none. Not that one would expect hooting and hollering of Metallicaesqe magnitude; nevertheless the noise level was so peaceful you could close your eyes and almost believe it was you and a few dozen others - not thousands (well, at least until Paul Allen started speaking inaudibly over the loudspeaker).

Of course this state of pax may have been partially attributed to the fact that so many of us were running on fumes at that time of the morning, after having driven whatever distances we drove (myself 6 hours, northern cali).

And of particular note, the decency. I recall seeing a group of onlookers gladly making room for an elderly gentleman - right at the nylon rope meters from the runway. these half-dozen camera-wearing men simply picked up their chairs and created a spot. those around the perimeter gladly scooted a few feet to allow for this.

For a moment I thought how wonderful it would be to have a society consisting completely of people like this: a veritable techocratic utopia.

and then I wondered, why aren't all societies like this right now?

Volunteers? At $35 per car hire somebody!

[Greg@RageNet]

Really! I paid less for a ticket to the last concert I attended, which was a per profit enterprise and everyone who worked it got paid. Most events I've attended where they've had to park cars it was a more reasonable $4-8 per car to pay for parking attendants. I attended the last launch and parking was _free_. I do think they should attempt to cover their costs for crowd control on the launch but I think $35 is outragous and then to have the nards to ask for volunteer labor? Hah!

-- Greg

Asteroid Toutatis flyby that day

[RobertB-DC]

When I went to put the date on my calendar (not like I'll make it, but I can dream), I noticed that September 29 is also the date that earth-crossing asteroid Toutatis is scheduled to make its closest approach to Earth. The bizarrely-shaped object is the size of a "small city" (whatever that means), and is due to get no closer than four times the earth-moon distance.

According to the wsu.edu page: 'Toutatis (also called Teutates) was an ancient Celtic god of war, fertility and wealth worshipped in Gaul. His name means "the god of the tribe".' His name is invoked regularly by the French cartoon character Asterix, who also fears that the sky will fall on his head.

Certainly an auspicious day for anyone interested in the heavens. Let's hope what's already up stays up, and what goes up comes down safely.

If somebody has to do it...

[Mulletproof]

Volunteers Needed for Space Launch!

...Well, not that you'll really have anything to do with the launch itself. But you can take tickets. Maybe do some crowd control. Oh, and don't forget my latte. Fact is, we're next to broke, so instead of hiring professionals, we're hiring you and will be keeping that 10 million for ourselves. That's fair, right? After all, you're a part of history, directing traffic and all that.