Romanian Team Entering X-Prize competition

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 :)"

Comments

In English [Re:Article about the launch]

[stiffneck]

In English:

We'll be launching a shuttle of which parts we bought online using stolen credit card numbers.

NOT environmentally sound!

[MountainMan101]

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.

Re:NOT environmentally sound!

[CosmeticLobotamy]

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!

Re:NOT environmentally sound!

[lombre]

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.

Re:NOT environmentally sound!

[jackbird]

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..."

[mccalli]

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

Re:Be wary - the legend of "In Romania..."

[kfg]

"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 ???????

[rasz]

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.

Cloaking Device?

[daeley]

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. :)

for those wondering wtf monopropellant is

[drinkypoo]

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 Get What You Pay For

[DarkElf109]

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

Re:You know what's funny about this launch?

[Jesrad]

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.

Re:Good luck

[savuporo]

They have been in the running for more than a year now. See older X-Prize newsletters on X-Prize site.

Good Luck!

[Fallen Andy]

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

[JiffyJeff]

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...

[gdav]

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!

[otter42]

(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.

Mintrubbing - The Romanian attitude towards work

[ehiris]

This is another proof that mintrubbing can produce amazing results.

Romanian aeronautic history

[ehiris]

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