Romanian Team Entering X-Prize competition

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Romanian Team Entering X-Prize competition

Posted by timothy on Saturday September 11, 2004 @08:09PM from the enter-away dept.

cripkd writes "Although two days passed already I am proud to announce that a Romanian team launched a sub-orbital unmanned flight. Demonstrator 2 is a prototype to the actual shuttle they will enter in the X-Prize competition, build with 30,000 USD, pocket money, as they say, compared to the other projects. The project's home site is here and an article about the launch can be found here. PS. And it's all ecological as they produce oxygen and water vapours :)"

29 of 127 comments (clear)

Certainly nice to see a spirit of competition! by PreDefined · 2004-09-11 20:13 · Score: 2, Interesting

Even with Scaled Composites minor mishap, they still look to be so far in the lead that a lot of people wouldn't even bother.

Cheers to this new attempt by the Romanian team.
1. Re:Certainly nice to see a spirit of competition! by kfg · 2004-09-11 20:42 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  Perhaps, but bear in mind that not everyone's primary motivation is to win the prize, nor is the prize the only pot of gold at the end of the spacebow.
  
  Cheers to this new attempt by the Romanian team.
  
  I had a Romanian great grandfather, so I'll give a cheer to the old home team, but, yeah, I admit it, my money was on Burt from the start and don't exactly see any reason not to let it ride.
  
  KFG
2. Re:Certainly nice to see a spirit of competition! by tomee · 2004-09-11 20:47 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  That is the part that I find most amazing about the competition: Before the competition, there seemed to be very little activity. Then it came, and suddenly we have around 20 teams working on it, even though many of them know they won't win anything, since it will be won soon or run out at the end of the year. Still they keep going because it is not really the competition that is the goal, getting into space is the goal.
Good luck by ravenspear · 2004-09-11 20:16 · Score: 2, Insightful

With only 4 months to go before the deadline, and Scaled inevitably winning before then, how does someone just entering now have any chance?
1. Re:Good luck by savuporo · 2004-09-11 21:07 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  They have been in the running for more than a year now. See older X-Prize newsletters on X-Prize site.
  
  --
  http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.slashdot.org Errors found while checking this document as HTML5!
In English [Re:Article about the launch] by stiffneck · 2004-09-11 20:18 · Score: 5, Funny

In English:
We'll be launching a shuttle of which parts we bought online using stolen credit card numbers.
NOT environmentally sound! by MountainMan101 · 2004-09-11 20:19 · Score: 3, Funny

Water vapour is not environmentally safe! H2O is 5 times as effective as CO2 as a green house case. It's about time some one took resposibility and educated the population.
1. Re:NOT environmentally sound! by CosmeticLobotamy · 2004-09-11 20:47 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Water vapour is not environmentally safe! H2O is 5 times as effective as CO2 as a green house case. It's about time some one took resposibility and educated the population.
  
  Quick! Somebody! Throw a tarp over the ocean! We don't have much time!
2. Re:NOT environmentally sound! by lombre · 2004-09-11 20:53 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  there is no evidence that water vapor added to the ecosystem has a long term effect on the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere. Most of it probably returns as rain. Additional CO2 stays in the atmosphere a long time and has a near continous effect.
3. Re:NOT environmentally sound! by CosmeticLobotamy · 2004-09-11 21:19 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  You really need to lighten up. I was obviously kidding. I wish I could patronizingly pin down your location based on your lack of sense of humor, but that seems to cross borders. Not that it turned out to be funny, but the worst reaction it deserved was -1, Troll, which we can still hope for.
  
  Being an American, I know nothing of pollution. So I want to ask a question, as I sit here smoking my cigar and blowing the smoke at babies while driving my SUV in circles for no reason. The 767, "the transatlantic workhorse", has a maximum altitude of 41,000 feet. Hurricane clouds get that high all the time, often much higher. How does a transatlantic flight do any damage? And if I haven't made a glaring error there, how bad is 100 times that?
  
  Shuttle launches just suck in general in terms of the environment.
4. Re:NOT environmentally sound! by jackbird · 2004-09-12 06:02 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  This issue will only really be solved when we have cheap energy (probably fusion) for electrolysis (which is very inefficient, comparatively). Until then, carbon sequestration sounds like a great idea, and it can be done in a large factory for producing hydrogen from natural gas.
  What about catalyzed processes like this, that don't require huge infrastructure changes or tanks of H2 in the trunk?
Be wary - the legend of "In Romania..." by mccalli · 2004-09-11 20:22 · Score: 4, Interesting

I know someone working inside a fairly well-known news site, and I commented to him about the large number of utterly unbelievable "In Romania..." stories, such as man marries cow, or man believes he is the reincarnation of Dracula (reincarnation of the undead?).
He replied that most of them were just made up. Many were filed by a reporter living in Austria, and he thought it sounded close enough to be believable but obscure enough that no-one could ever check any references. "In Romania..." stuff just happens. Allegedly. Certainly in some circles, it's just press shorthand for a fluff story that may be completely made up.
Not saying that's the case here - I still need to read it. Just a general warning regarding stories about Romania - crank up the scepticism level just a bit.
Cheers,
Ian
1. Re:Be wary - the legend of "In Romania..." by kfg · 2004-09-11 20:37 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  "In Romania..." stories, such as man marries cow, or man believes he is the reincarnation of Dracula (reincarnation of the undead?).
  
  What, no Bat Boy?
  
  KFG
what about Ansari ??????? by rasz · 2004-09-11 20:29 · Score: 3, Insightful

How come its not ANSARI X PRIZE anymore ? Arent you forgetting something ? He is a BIG contributor to the prize pool, be nice and dont forget about him.

--
Go grab those torrents.
Cloaking Device? by daeley · 2004-09-11 20:30 · Score: 4, Funny

Hmm, must be that it's really late, but I could have sworn the title was "Romulan Team Entering X-Prize competition" when I first looked at it. I was imagining some Trekkies in Romulan costumes milling around the SpaceShipOne compound. :)

--
I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate.
for those wondering wtf monopropellant is by drinkypoo · 2004-09-11 20:35 · Score: 3, Funny

The construction of a liquid rocket engine fire test stand began in April 24, 2002. The engine used monopropellant fuel (hydrogen peroxide 68% mixed with ethylic alcohol). The first cold test with this stand was realized on May 16, 2002. The calibration of the injection head of the engine was realized the next day by using water. The results were encouraging. Only a 3% fuel debit error from the project was recorded. The pressure feed system worked at 20 bars, ensuring a 14 bars burning chamber pressure. The pressurization of the tanks was made with nitrogen from a tube at 150 bars.

I especially liked the part right under that where "[...]an explosion caused by an ignition system malfunction destroyed most of the installation."

--
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
You Get What You Pay For by DarkElf109 · 2004-09-11 20:47 · Score: 4, Insightful

Yes, because I really want to send myself into a frozen vacuum inside a craft that cost less than most boats...

--
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
-Arthur C. Clarke
Re:You know what's funny about this launch? by Jesrad · 2004-09-11 20:47 · Score: 4, Informative

Aording to the article, the launch occured 7 seconds before schedule because of a smashed electrical wire that disconnected the engine's electro-valve. Beause it's using a mono-propellant with a catalyser (I believe it's hydrogen peroxyde), the engine auto-ignited and the rocket launched.

--
Maybe we deserve this world ?
Re:Article about the launch by roadrunnerro · 2004-09-11 21:07 · Score: 2, Informative

What the blurb says is that although the AI decided to launch a little early /grin/ it was a pretty good run and (it landed in the sea near the shoreline). The 30k were spent for this second demo rocket (the propulsion seems to use a mistery catalyst on top of what's mentioned online) - the main project is the 200k$ Orizont vehicle (apparently not entirely funded yet).

They do acknowledge that there are teams ahead of them both in funds and project schedule, but they still want to go ahead. Kudos to them. Also they've started merchandising in the US...

In the end even if they don't reach space they could start another mushroom cloud over North Korea and get on slashdot again (amazingly the webserver is still alive and well)...
disposable rockets by xlyz · 2004-09-11 21:24 · Score: 2, Interesting

even if they don't win, 30k $ per launch it's a very interesting price point.

in term of business potential I won't disrespect them at all
Good Luck! by Fallen+Andy · 2004-09-11 22:04 · Score: 5, Insightful

Hey, they need it. I don't think anyone except Burt Rutan's outfit have a snowballs chance in hell.

But,it isn't about *winning* this prize. Even Burt doesn't really care about that. If in the 70 or so years you get on this planet you get to fulfil your dream (and create many others in younger minds) then
consider yourself a worthy citizen (of the world)

Losing isn't fun, but unless you try you'll never win.

(Had to post this as an antidote to all the crass
stupidity that claims to be typical /. fare)

So mod me down ok?
Korean Mushroom Cloud by JiffyJeff · 2004-09-11 22:39 · Score: 5, Funny

Successful launch by Romanian rocket scientists -- Mushroom cloud a mere 5,000 miles away on the N. Korean/Chinese border...

Coincidence, I think NOT!
An earlier Romanian rocketeer... by gdav · 2004-09-12 00:33 · Score: 3, Informative

was Hermann Oberth, from Sigishoara in Romania (birthplace of Vlad the Impaler). I visited Sigishoara last year and found that the town museum had a room devoted to Oberth. The first Romanian in space (in Soviet times) was awarded the "Hermann Oberth Gold Medal".
First (translation) post! by otter42 · 2004-09-12 00:37 · Score: 5, Informative

(So, I will use my mad language skillz, namely skillz at having friends who are Romanian, to translate said article)

Demonstrator 2, a Romanian small-scale model of the Orizont (Horizon) Rocket couldn't restrain itself anymore and burst into space two minutes before official launch at Midia Cap. The presurizing hose of the engine came off by surprise and triggered the tiny rocket by touching the contact and leaving Dumitru Popescu, president of ARCA ( Romanian Astronautics and Aeronautics Association) motionless.

Wrapped up in steam, Demonstrator 2 went its own way and, influenced by the gusty wind vanished into the clouds after reaching 1,200 m at 13 m/s before eventually sinking into the Black Sea, just off the to shore.

Even though the rocket didn't get to 2,000 m as planned, the ARCA students are now very confident they will find support and get the $200,000 they need to beat the American team Space Composites in the X Prize Cup competition, a team which already reached 100 km.

Apparently, Romanians are using a secret formula based on World War II technology for torpidoes, also used on the Kursk Russian submarine. It's all about decomposing oxygenated water with the touch of a mysterious catalyzer. And if it's not silver nor platinum, then what is it, we ask? "Just some tablets", Dumitru Popescu responds and that's the only thing we can wring from him.

Having spent only $30,000 to build Demonstrator 2, ARCA has already got offers to sell a miniature rocket in all the toy stores in the Unites States.

--
www.eissq.com/BandP.html Ball and Plate System. Amuse your friends. Crush your enemies.
Mintrubbing - The Romanian attitude towards work by ehiris · 2004-09-12 01:48 · Score: 3, Funny

This is another proof that mintrubbing can produce amazing results.
Romanian aeronautic history by ehiris · 2004-09-12 02:04 · Score: 3, Informative

To anyone interested in the subject, Romania (pre- fing WW2 and fing communism) has had potential for a strong position in the aeronautic industry. Henri Marie Coanda, known for the Coanda-effect and the first jet aircraft, was Romanian. More info about Coanda can be found here
Estes threatens patent lawsuit by Larthallor · 2004-09-12 02:36 · Score: 2, Funny

It turns out that "Orizont" is just Romanian for "Big Bertha".
You can buy toy rockets that will go higher by prakslash · 2004-09-12 02:48 · Score: 2, Insightful

I applaud their spirit and all but the Romanians didn't accomplish much after all. You can buy model rockets that will go higher than 1000m.
The goal of x-prize is to reach a height of 100,000 m - about 100 times higher than what the Romanians achieved in their test flight. The flight has to be manned as well. They have a long way to go.
the romanian aviation school by rozz · 2004-09-12 03:43 · Score: 2, Informative

well, this did sound like a funny XPrize attempt at the beginning .. but after a little wikipedia & co, it sounds a lot different ... the romanian aviation school from the precomunist times sounds impressive!!

Traian Vuia (August 17, 1872 - September 3, 1950) was a Romanian inventor, designed and built the world's first self-propelling heavier-than-air aircraft.
Hermann Oberth
"considered the foremost authority on rocketry outside the United States."
and
" one of the founding fathers of rocketry and astronautics."
Henri Coanda
"In 1910 ... he designed, built and piloted the first jet-aircraft"

Aurel Vlaicu
Romanian engineer and aviation pioneer.
"...his first airplane, the Vlaicu I ... extremely well built, stable, and maneuverable. It won him several prizes in international competitions against other aviation pioneers like Roland Garros. "
Gogu Constantinescu
"Gogu Constantinescu founded the theory of the sonicity and made the sonic engine. Using an invention of Gogu Constantinescu on a sonicity application, the British military aviation held supremacy during World War First."
"Buzu" Cantacuzeno ... ww2 air war ace
"Romania's leading ace, "Buzu" Cantacuzeno, added three German He-111s to the more than 50 Soviet and American aircraft he had shot down."
good luck to the romanian team ... and to all other teams

--
"There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action." Johann Wolfgang von Goethe