Comments on: Blue Origin finally reveals their "spaceship" http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/01/10/blue-origin-finally-reveals-their-spaceship/ I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:53:09 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Allen Thomson http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/01/10/blue-origin-finally-reveals-their-spaceship/comment-page-1/#comment-27463 Allen Thomson Fri, 12 Jan 2007 18:28:15 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/01/10/blue-origin-finally-reveals-their-spaceship/#comment-27463 > The reason why there was no smoke and fire is because Goddard was using high test peroxide (TPP) as a monopropellant. Apparently the Real Thing is going to use kerosine/peroxide bipropellant, which has a decent Isp. Whether the present peroxide monopropellant engines have any relation to the future bipropellant ones isn't clear. > The reason why there was no smoke and fire is because Goddard was using high test peroxide (TPP) as a monopropellant.

Apparently the Real Thing is going to use kerosine/peroxide bipropellant, which has a decent Isp. Whether the present peroxide monopropellant engines have any relation to the future bipropellant ones isn’t clear.

]]> By: Tom http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/01/10/blue-origin-finally-reveals-their-spaceship/comment-page-1/#comment-27462 Tom Fri, 12 Jan 2007 17:29:00 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/01/10/blue-origin-finally-reveals-their-spaceship/#comment-27462 I had that rocket also. Flew badly, I only flew mine once, but it looked darn cool. I got mine for free. I took a rocketry class in Jr. High school (yeah, that was a real class back then in the early 80s!) and there was a competition to build a rocket that would stay aloft the longest. Prize was $10 toward any Estes rocket in the catalog. I won with a skinny little rocket with a huge chute. Stayed up 24 seconds (We had to use a wimpy 'A' engine). I paid $2 additional and got the lander. I miss that thing, if only I knew the value it would have now! *sniff* I had that rocket also. Flew badly, I only flew mine once, but it looked darn cool.
I got mine for free. I took a rocketry class in Jr. High school (yeah, that was a real class back then in the early 80s!) and there was a competition to build a rocket that would stay aloft the longest. Prize was $10 toward any Estes rocket in the catalog. I won with a skinny little rocket with a huge chute. Stayed up 24 seconds (We had to use a wimpy ‘A’ engine). I paid $2 additional and got the lander.

I miss that thing, if only I knew the value it would have now! *sniff*

]]> By: Astrogirl http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/01/10/blue-origin-finally-reveals-their-spaceship/comment-page-1/#comment-27461 Astrogirl Fri, 12 Jan 2007 14:58:25 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/01/10/blue-origin-finally-reveals-their-spaceship/#comment-27461 I must confess that I followed the "girl" stereotype and had never built or launched a single rocket during my whole childhood. But a couple of summers ago that all changed. I got a job teaching summer school (the fun elective courses) and taught three different rocket classes. It was a K-2 class, 3-5th grade, and 6-8th grade. These kids were motivated, and some of the older ones were very skilled, so right before classes started, I built and launched a rocket. I soon became an expert in helping the students build and launch all difficulty levels of rockets and we all literally had a "blast". It was, without a doubt, one of the most rewarding jobs I have ever had. To see the look on a child's face with building and launching a rocket is priceless. And yes, we did have girls in the classes (as this was pretty recent), I'd say about 1/4 on average were girls in the 9 total classes I taught for the 3 summer sessions. I must confess that I followed the “girl” stereotype and had never built or launched a single rocket during my whole childhood. But a couple of summers ago that all changed. I got a job teaching summer school (the fun elective courses) and taught three different rocket classes. It was a K-2 class, 3-5th grade, and 6-8th grade. These kids were motivated, and some of the older ones were very skilled, so right before classes started, I built and launched a rocket. I soon became an expert in helping the students build and launch all difficulty levels of rockets and we all literally had a “blast”. It was, without a doubt, one of the most rewarding jobs I have ever had. To see the look on a child’s face with building and launching a rocket is priceless. And yes, we did have girls in the classes (as this was pretty recent), I’d say about 1/4 on average were girls in the 9 total classes I taught for the 3 summer sessions.

]]> By: JackC http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/01/10/blue-origin-finally-reveals-their-spaceship/comment-page-1/#comment-27460 JackC Fri, 12 Jan 2007 14:16:39 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/01/10/blue-origin-finally-reveals-their-spaceship/#comment-27460 Jack H says: "I think you guys are talking about different models." I built the 1B - differentiated in that it was somewhat smaller (I don't even think there was a V when I built mine - but maybe I just couldn't afford it) and had several (8?) individual tubes down the first stage module just like the real one. The V models have all had smooth sides in the first stage - again, like the real V. It was larger and surely would have had a multi-engine configuration. I ran D motors regularly in the late 60s and early 70s - though they weren't easy to find, I seem to recall. I believe the bird may have called for C engines, but I didn't think they would fly - and in truth, wheterver it was that I used, failed totally to lift the mass more than 20 feet. At least it didn't fly itself into the ground though. It rose - nearly like the real thing, slow and graceful - then faltered and rather gracefully came back down on it's tail a few feet before dropping a bit sideways and just dashing itself to bits more or less on it's side. Followed by a rather impotent pop as the chute tried to do something and failed utterly. JC Jack H says: “I think you guys are talking about different models.”

I built the 1B – differentiated in that it was somewhat smaller (I don’t even think there was a V when I built mine – but maybe I just couldn’t afford it) and had several (8?) individual tubes down the first stage module just like the real one.

The V models have all had smooth sides in the first stage – again, like the real V. It was larger and surely would have had a multi-engine configuration.

I ran D motors regularly in the late 60s and early 70s – though they weren’t easy to find, I seem to recall. I believe the bird may have called for C engines, but I didn’t think they would fly – and in truth, wheterver it was that I used, failed totally to lift the mass more than 20 feet.

At least it didn’t fly itself into the ground though. It rose – nearly like the real thing, slow and graceful – then faltered and rather gracefully came back down on it’s tail a few feet before dropping a bit sideways and just dashing itself to bits more or less on it’s side. Followed by a rather impotent pop as the chute tried to do something and failed utterly.

JC

]]> By: Jack Hagerty http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/01/10/blue-origin-finally-reveals-their-spaceship/comment-page-1/#comment-27459 Jack Hagerty Fri, 12 Jan 2007 01:57:36 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/01/10/blue-origin-finally-reveals-their-spaceship/#comment-27459 Evolving Squid Says: "I have been thinking up a plan for a model rocket with a tiny computer, GPS receiver and servos aboard that can be launched, deploy wings at apex and glide back to wherever it needs to be. It’s mechanically possible, but I’m not convinced I can do it within a hobbyist budget" It sounds like you've been out of the hobby a while. You might want to check out George Gassaway's page: http://members.aol.com/GCGassaway/gcghome.htm George isn't the only one doing things of this sophistication, but he's been the pioneer in so many areas of servo control. Check out his "sun seeker" and fully functional Shuttle stack. - Jack Evolving Squid Says: “I have been thinking up a plan for a model rocket with a tiny computer, GPS receiver and servos aboard that can be launched, deploy wings at apex and glide back to wherever it needs to be. It’s mechanically possible, but I’m not convinced I can do it within a hobbyist budget”

It sounds like you’ve been out of the hobby a while. You might want to check out George Gassaway’s page:

http://members.aol.com/GCGassaway/gcghome.htm

George isn’t the only one doing things of this sophistication, but he’s been the pioneer in so many areas of servo control. Check out his “sun seeker” and fully functional Shuttle stack.

- Jack

]]> By: Jack Hagerty http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/01/10/blue-origin-finally-reveals-their-spaceship/comment-page-1/#comment-27458 Jack Hagerty Fri, 12 Jan 2007 01:48:34 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/01/10/blue-origin-finally-reveals-their-spaceship/#comment-27458 JackC Says: "I don’t recall having the 5 C option - was that a later addition?" I think you guys are talking about different models. The S 1B (which debuted in 1967) used four 18mm mounts, and the largest motor Estes made at the time was a "C". The later Saturn V model used either five 18mm or two 24mm. I've never built one, so I might be confusing the Estes and Centuri models. They were about the same size, but were different inside. - Jack JackC Says: “I don’t recall having the 5 C option – was that a later addition?”

I think you guys are talking about different models. The S 1B (which debuted in 1967) used four 18mm mounts, and the largest motor Estes made at the time was a “C”. The later Saturn V model used either five 18mm or two 24mm. I’ve never built one, so I might be confusing the Estes and Centuri models. They were about the same size, but were different inside.

- Jack

]]> By: Jack Hagerty http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/01/10/blue-origin-finally-reveals-their-spaceship/comment-page-1/#comment-27457 Jack Hagerty Fri, 12 Jan 2007 01:44:07 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/01/10/blue-origin-finally-reveals-their-spaceship/#comment-27457 Trebuchet Says: "Regarding the Blueorigin “rocket”, I see no smoke, no fire. There’s a just a hissing sound and a cloud of fog which quickly dissipates. Not a real rocket..." Maybe you can clear up what you consider a "real rocket." If it moves by means of a reaction motor using a high speed gas for the reaction mass, that's close enough in my book. The ISP sucks (that's "specific impulse", not the Internet service provider), but it works. As long as we're dredging up childhood memories, anyone else remember the Vashon rocket line? I'm sure this was just a control system test to make sure everything was stable and able to move the craft around. Much safer to do without worrying about fire if the system isn't stable any you have a crash. - Jack Trebuchet Says: “Regarding the Blueorigin “rocket”, I see no smoke, no fire. There’s a just a hissing sound and a cloud of fog which quickly dissipates. Not a real rocket…”

Maybe you can clear up what you consider a “real rocket.” If it moves by means of a reaction motor using a high speed gas for the reaction mass, that’s close enough in my book. The ISP sucks (that’s “specific impulse”, not the Internet service provider), but it works. As long as we’re dredging up childhood memories, anyone else remember the Vashon rocket line?

I’m sure this was just a control system test to make sure everything was stable and able to move the craft around. Much safer to do without worrying about fire if the system isn’t stable any you have a crash.

- Jack

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