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Starchaser

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dantonks

dantonks

Mechanical
Joined
Apr 28, 2004
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5
Location
GB
What is everyones view on starchaser industies and there entry into the x-prize?

starchaser viewable at
cheers

dan
 
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On the first count, the X prize, i think this is an admirable idea. I have no doubt that the prize will be less than the cost to win it but i think this is an exellent way to re-juvenate the space program and will lead to lots of fresh ideas.
As to Starchaser, i couldn't comment on their capability or approach.

JMW
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I think it is fantastic that, despite a lot of public criticism, Steve Bennett continues to persue his dream. I really hope he makes it. Recent events have proven that large organisations can spread the problem of space flight too thin. A single rubber or silicon component can cause catastrophic effects, so the fewer designers the better!

Britain has a history of innovation, and I like to feel this is a good follow up. Lets face it, Appollo still inspires 30+ years on - I think every engineer dreams of putting NASA on his CV. ;-)

In the same way that Burt Rutan has (brilliantly) made a success out of composite canards, I think Starchaser deserve to do well.

Mart
 
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Yesterdays good news about Burt Rutan's venture with a solo piloted excursion for his vehicle puts the X prize close to being claimed. It is expected to be back up again inside a month, the prize calls for a 2 week turnaround.

JMW
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i don't think the next filght will be his x-prize filght though as the x-prize rules state that they must be given 60 days notice of an attempt.

but it will be good news as soon as anybody wins and the industry will start to take off. and we all may get a chance of going into space.

does any body have or could work out cost comparisons bewteen the scaled route to space and sc route to space?

Cheers

Dan
 
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Congratulations are in order for Burt Rutan's Spaceship One. Looks like he's about to win the X-Prize...

Mart
 
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They have as they say in the spaceship business some anomalies.
The grapevine in the composites world has it that one problem maybe serious and they may have been close to a disaster.
Hope not

Here is another good site for information.

 
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Great photos!

Great achievement!

JMW
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Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.
 
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Here is a Rutan flying a Rutan, only with a rocket motor that stops and refires on command. The interesting part is that the rocket motor is made from off the shelf components. The elecrical igniter is a weed eater spark plug.


 
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Am I glad I have broadband!

Unclesid, you need to be more specific, this looks alike a family affair, this time we have Dick Rutan, the Excor test pilot.

Burt Rutan is the Spaceshipone designer.

Any more out there?

JMW
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Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.
 
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For anyone who doubts that space exploration could be done so "cheaply" one just has to look at the NASA approach.

Everyone "knows" that a biro only works in gravity. This was sufficient for NASA to develop the zero gravity pen. This has a ball bearing in the ink reservoir with the ink on one side and pressurised gas on the other, so my nephew informs me.He also said this cost big bucks to develop. The Russians? They sent their cosmonauts up equipped with pencils... at least, until they, like my nephew, could buy their zero-gravity pens cheaply in the retail market.

Actually, there may be a clue here that many space race developments do have commercial spin-offs. It is NASA'sproblem that they are often neglected.

Having said that, i suspect the commercial spin-offs for the "X priz" winner could also be significant.... anyone know of any projections?

JMW
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Not too sure of that one is true or not. How did the Rusiians sharpen the pencils? Do you think that graphite dust is a great thing to have floating around in a weightless environment surrounded by mission critical elctronic gear?

Well, apparently the answer is that the Russians didn't care about graphite. Neither did NASA.

see




Cheers

Greg Locock
 
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nice research Greg.... corrects the myth.

JMW
Eng-Tips: Pro bono publico, by engineers, for engineers.

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.
 
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has anyone seen the h2o2 keroscene engine that starshaser have tested, there is a photot of the engine running on there main page.

The h2o2 engine was for there launch escape system.

i wonder what they will use this modified engine for?


Cheers

Dan
 
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