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Da Vinci Project Postpones X-Prize Attempt
brainstyle writes "To some people this won't come as much of a shock: the Da Vinci Project's inaugural launch has been delayed. I'm a Canuck, so I'm rooting for these guys, but it always felt a bit iffy. The Canadian Arrow team seems to be doing things a bit more intelligently, so if any Canadian launch works, I'd bet on that one."
I wouldn't put too much stock in Canadian Arrow. The first picture on their home page apparently shows a giant soda cup drowning in the ocean.
Since it's just as likely as not that a Canadian team won't win, what's to encourage these teams to carry on developing their space programs? With or without an X-Prize, it would still be worthwhile to have a space program we could call our own.
Height: 38U, Weight: 0 Newtons, Eyes: #0000FF, OS: Gray Matter 1.0 (Alpha)
"The Canadian Arrow team seems to be doing things a bit more intelligently, so if any Canadian launch works, I'd bet on that one."
:)
Except that it would probably get canceled right after its first test launch.
Also don't forget to remind them about all the beer they could buy with the X-prize money.
I Am My Own Worst Enemy
4...3...2...1...Take off eh?
I'd never heard of the Canadian Arrow before it was mentioned on /. a while back. I can't find the answer on their webpage, so I'll ask if anyone knows: was the name "Canadian Arrow" chosen with the Canadian Avro Arrow in mind?
If so, that would be cool. If not, I hope it's a happy coincidence and not a prophetic one. Just don't let "US" steal the idea this time, guys.
Free flatscreens. Proof here.
Being called a dork on Slashdot must be like being called the retard in special ed.
...although no one actually does. To the date the success of both of the projects are quite reasonably doubtable...
It's like the difference between "New Zealander" and "Kiwi". :)
Its kinda like calling a New Zealander a Kiwi.
- my $.02? - you can't have it...it's all I have!!
It's named Arrow with reverence to the Avro Arrow. The subject of the Arrow still brings up strong feelings of patriotism, quite a rare thing here in Canada. And as for the Arrow being shut down again? Not with that name..
Let's all (hopefully) welcome noted online casino Golden Palace.com into the pantheon of world space agencies. I'll be first in line to play at the LEO blackjack tables.
I assume the Kiwi nickname in this case refers to the bird and not the fruit?
I Am My Own Worst Enemy
And the pronounciation ? Can as in Canadian, and uck as in "puck", or as in "ook" ?
I'm glad they are delaying their attempt because the glue gun in this picture has me worried.
DaVinci project and glue gun
And to make things every more confusing, it used to be called a chinese gooseberry, until they found it grew better here in NZ than it did in China.
Uck as in puck.
Eh?
I'm all for concept stuff to make an achievement, but which one, if offered to you, would you fly in; the da Vinci rocket, or Rutan's SpaceShipOne?
The Tier One system is by far the more aircraft-like of the two, has many abort modes that offer you some level of safety in a still-dangerous adventure, and appears to have plenty of money to ensure the design is not contrived.
IANARS, but it also appears that the Tier One design is highly scalable. Just make a large enough plane that can achieve a high altitude that can carry a large enough orbiter and fuel, and this thing can become a new LEO personnel or unmanned shuttle, or the much-lamented spaceplane.
At the least, quite a few of us would pay a few thousand to ride the thing like a rollercoaster to get our astronaut wings, experience weightlessness, and see the Earth in a way few of us have ever seen it.
But using a balloon and a cylinder? Hm.
Vos teneo officium eram periculosus ut vos recipero is.
As a canadian, I'd say canuk like I say puck or that other 4 letter word that ends with uck.
Around here you definatly don't hear the term that often... except maybe the comic book hero Captain Canuck but that goes back a few decades. http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Study/4273/cc.html
In further news, an undisclosed eccentric canadian billionaire has created a similar prize for his country men in an attempt to help them "get off the ground".
Its called the "eh-prize".
Norman Cook's Ode to Sl
uck as in puck .... i mean it is canadian eh :P
How can any slashdot reader not root for our collective idol, the almighty John Carmack, and his crew over at Armadillo Aerospace?
Jesus, you pretentious JACK ASS, if you could take ALL THE TIME to type in that link to the questionable Wiki page, why not JUST FUCKING TELL HIM? Or are you too fucking good for that?
"so if any Canadian launch works, I'd bet on that one."
...
Hey There,
If you knew which one worked
Why would you need to bet?
Cheers,
-- The Dude
P.S.
Someone needs to moderate the posted articles!?
John Carmack of Armadillo Aerospace also said some stuff about DaVinci. He also wrote a pretty interesting summary about his recent zero-gravity experience.
...isn't transferred to this account in seven days...
Your ad here.
I called Kindersley, where the launch is to take place. They assured me that the delay is "very minor" and the delay is likely to be only about a week. They will give about 7 days notice before the launch.
"Oh, what's this all aboot!?!?! The gosh-darned ignition doohickey won't work! Guess I owe Dan Akyroyd a tooney and a Labatt Blue!"
The Canadian Arrow is a modified A-4/V-2 missile which incorporates some of the ideas that von Braun had for his system back in the 1940s but never was able to try before his government was no longer funding him. (He dropped the V-2 work after the late 1940s to build his next rocket, Redstone.)
Canadian Arrow spacecraft in launch configuration
V-2 systems diagram
And the interior is A-4/V-2 based as well:
Canadian Arrow engine
A-4 components during production before installation of outer skin
In addition to this, the photo of the landed return capsule is very reminiscent of the Gemini program.
CA descent capsule awaiting recovery
Gemini crew capsule awaiting recovery
What goes around comes around!
i am a soviet space shuttle
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Canuck is usually used in a patriotic way, at least when used by Canadians.
This is probably due to the influence of Johnny Canuck an Uncle Sam like character.
THE definative phrase, IMHO is:
"To really run amok takes a canuck."
I have faith in these fellow Candians. I have a good feeling that they will get that v2 into space.
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Everyone, Please pen letter to your governor. Thell them you feel how SPACE progress is essential to long term survival of democracy.
I suggest you read Slashdot
Maple leaves fall, eh?
Molson from state liquor store
Worker's Paradise
-- Jeff Paulsen
Im amazed by the number of people supporting the
Canadian Arrow project.
But, if you ask me, as a pilot, I would never
volunteer for that thing. It has too many single points of failure.
Somthing more like the SS1 has much better chances of failing, and still bringing you back.
Im not personally against them, and I
surely wish them good luck. But just look at the
engine. Just the turbopump is more complex than SS1
.
Make no mistake, the few minutes after blast off, at low alt, are its Achilles heel.
Just like any other rocket....
* Guidance puter failure at low alt = crash
* Engine failure at low alt = crash
* Parachute failure = crash
Maybe i am bias because I am a pilot, but I rather
fly something that I can bring back with no
puter, no parachute, or no power.
Just my two cents. God bless both teams.
I wonder what kinda isp you could get outta that combination, eh? Mebbe you'd have to substitute summa da water wit hydrogen peroxide....
"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves
I'm a Canuck, so I'm rooting for these guys
Here in Australia, root has a different meaning, but suffice to say we do it for fun. :-)
Oh come on. Bad joke maybe. Troll? As usual the /. mods are smoking crack.
"Who are in control, they are not in control of anything - they don't even control themselves!" - Glen Beck
I know the booties are for traction, but i'm sure they're differently coloured not only to let the minders keep track of their charges but also to appeal to a certain kind of nerd. I didn't see any red members - perhaps it's so as not to make them uneasy on their first 'mission'.
this image he posted looks like it could be a promotional shot for a new sitcom about the wacky misadventures of the world's first private, zany space company.
And i think i just saw cnn's thing from that promotional flight. There was indeed at least one holding the bag to her face, being lead away and looking a tad more than solemn (thank god the minders do that - eeww! float over there!) Miles O'brien (sp) says he kept it down.
"Our interests are to see if we can't scale it up to something more exciting," he said.
DUDE, This post may have been off topic, but it sure is funny! That skit on SNL was TOO good! (+5 CRACKUP)!!
...on winning the price ?
...
Their sponsor is all into gambling, and I am sure that they don't want to make us believe that you can't win with gambling...
So let's play a little craps guys, bluf your way out, grab that one-armed bandit and cash that prize !
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The Golden Palace.com Space Program Powered by the da Vinci Project announced that it has revised its October 2nd planned flight to space in pursuit of the Ansari X PRIZE.
Given that they changed the name of the project to flatter their new sponsor, I find their flight patch graphic rather appropriate.
(sung by the incomparable Tom Lehrer, of course)