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Da Vinci Project Postpones X-Prize Attempt

Posted by michael on from the life-insurance-not-paid-up dept.

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."

6 of 109 comments (clear)

  1. Hmm by kundor · · Score: 5, Funny

    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.

  2. And when we don't win? by rocjoe71 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    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)
    1. Re:And when we don't win? by brainstyle · · Score: 5, Informative

      There's the annual X Prize Cup which will hopefully give a number of teams motivation to keep working on what they're doing. Anyways, I doubt that many of the teams would quit just because the prize was won... I mean, I think they all just want to get into space, and they're closer now than they've ever been (even if they're still a ways off).

      --
      "Why can't everyone just be straight with me?"
      "Because we live in a bendy world, dear."
  3. overheard on launch day by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    4...3...2...1...Take off eh?

  4. glue guns in space by mcguyver · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm glad they are delaying their attempt because the glue gun in this picture has me worried.

    DaVinci project and glue gun

  5. Re:da Vinci Design: Not very practical by david.given · · Score: 5, Informative
    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.

    Alas, it can't; there are fundamental reasons why SpaceShipOne or any similar vehicle can't get into orbit. This principally boil down to not being able to get enough delta-V from that rocket technology, and no thermal protection system for reentry. Changing the propulsion system and adding a TPS would involve a fundamental redesign from scratch.

    What it is is a good technology demonstrator. They're getting experience in dealing with multistage vehicles, rocket propulsion, freefall attitude control, supersonic flight, etc; all well worth while, and all necessary on the path to a real orbital vehicle.

    Plus the PR benefits are huge, too --- you could probably write the whole Tier One programme off as advertising. Think how much publicity Scaled Composites has gotten out of this...