Carmack's Throatless Rocket Engine

Baldrson writes "John Carmack is working a potentially disruptive technology: A throatless rocket engine. Its made from plain aluminum pipes with few machined fittings. Carmack says: "The great thing about these engines is that it only takes me two nights to machine the parts, so we can test two engines a week if necessary." It scales too: "If this line of tube engine development works out, we can make a 5,000 lbf engine with very little more effort than the test engine." This is what makes disruptive technology development work: Cheap, fast turnaround on on redesign producing technologies that scale. If this works, the NASCAR guys may really start entering space competitions like the X-Cup."

Comments

pipedream

[Anonymous Coward]

the Pipedream finally becomes reality.

Wasted Talent

[Thakandar2]

I mean, why have a genius like Carmack working on shooting rockets into space, when what the world really needs is a better personal rocket launcher... for shooting rockets into other people.

Game God rocketjumps himself to death

[Anonymous Coward]

In an effort to propel himself high enough to reach the Quad Damage, John Carmack fragged himself with his own rocket launcher. He will be remembered by a rabid community of gamers. We will all miss you John.

Toasted the Server Already

[angrist]

From the site ...

"Too many users... blah blah blah

Probable cause: http://www.slashdot.org/

Try again in a few seconds...

-xian@idsoftware.com"

That has to be the best 'server down' message I've seen in years

Re:Obscure unit

[Planesdragon]

What the hell is a lbf? Is North America really so backwards and stubborn they refuse to use units that the rest of the world is perfectly happy with.

Yes. We are able to use non-decimal units because, quite frankly, most applications call for non-decimal units.

Once you've been to the moon and back, THEN maybe we'll consider your ideas on measurement. ;)

Re:Obscure unit

[paniq]

*ahem*

http://www.cnn.com/TECH/space/9909/30/mars.metric/

Re:Obscure unit

[Qzukk]

Is North America really so backwards and stubborn they refuse to use units that the rest of the world is perfectly happy with.

Ok, it's a 5klbf engine. Happy?

It's a secret

[iendedi]

NASA is a sham, a front, a cover for the real space program. The real U.S. space program exists in military black-projects and that is where 2000s level technology is being developed and used. You think UFOs are alien? Ha!

Do your own research, but I will present you with the basic idea that ZPE and antigravity are a reality within military black-ops and has been for decades.