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X Prize Founder Launches Rocket Racing League
David Rosen writes "MSNBC reports a 'Rocket Racing League' is launching today. The man behind the $10 million X Prize for private spaceflight is joining forces with a venture capitalist who is also an Indy car backer to establish a NASCAR-like racing league for rocket-powered aircraft." The Rocket Racing League also has an official website which outlines some of the specifics behind the program.
One major upshot of all of this is all of those who think the only good thing about auto racing is fantastic crashes... will no doubt enjoy such a league.
Something to be said for a rocket powered crater generator.
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From the movie the aviator when Howard Hughes is trying to make his movie "Hells Angles" He had a problem showing the speed of the aircraft when in the air. It was determined he needed coulds to show it. I don't think this will work because the planes will not look fast on TV because there will be nothing behind them to show there speed.
Source code is like sex. It's better when it's free.
RTFA.
5,000 feet is an altitude that may be covered in seconds by a rocket at speed. No, it will be covered at 5000/(Velocity in Feet Per Seconds) seconds.
With a max speed of 320 MPH (which you surely would not be doing in a maneuvering course) a two mile length of track would take 22.5 seconds per lap. Faster than NASCAR, yes. But that's the point.
The article specifically states kerosene engines. Kerosene is a liquid at all but the most extreme temperatures.
I cannot imagine any braking system that would allow such a craft to slow down adequately for a "turn."
It's called aerodynamics. Flaps. And you won't be gunning it most of the time. It depends on the course.
The dynamics of these racers would appear to all but defy anything we have ever produced.
Check out XCOR's website. The spec listed on the Rocket Racing website is very similar to the bird XCOR is currently flying, and will be flying at the XPRIZE cup.
And such a craft would not necessarily operate in outer space. No !@#$
-everphilski-
They are also joining forces with the organizers of the annual Reno Air Races that were held just a couple weeks ago. Similar to grand prix road races, there are several classes of air racers, the biggest and fastest being the piston-powered Unlimiteds (mostly stripped and re-engined WWII-era fighters). Courses are low to the ground and marked by giant pylons. From the article, it seems the rocket racers are planning more vertical courses so it will be intersting the see how those are plotted. Maybe GPS and a virtual track shown on a heads-up display?
For those pointing out that some people watch NASCAR mostly for the crashes, crashes at Reno usually involve a distant thud, a cloud of smoke and little good news. Everybody maintains a healthy distance between aircraft, crowd others out of the course and you get grounded, do it too often (as in more than once or twice), and you get banned.