Kristian von Bengtson of Copenhagen Suborbitals writes about the challenges of building a sea platform for their full-sized rockets for suborbital space flights: Pimp My Platform – Wired Science/Wired.com
Launch platform Sputnik added extra hull holding HEAT1600/TDSII.
Image: Carsten Bang
The Copenhagen Suborbitals team is thrilled by yesterday’s successful launch and flight of the Sapphire actively guided rocket : Launch Success of Active Guided Rocket Sapphire – Next Stop Space – Wired Science/Wired.com.
The parachute deployment problem is understood and the sinking of the rocket into the ocean is a minor cost for the main goals of the project.
Update: A video with multiple views of the launch:
Copenhagen Suborbitals launched their Sapphire rocket today from the sea off Denmark and the active guidance system successfully kept it on a straight vertical trajectory to the expected 8 km altitude. Unfortunately, on the return the parachute system did not work and the vehicle was not recovered. However, the primary goals of the test were achieved: Huge Success: Rocket flew vertically to over eight kilometers – The Engineer/ing.dk (Google Tanslate)
Will post a video of the launch when available. See descriptions of the event a t
Update: Trent Waddington has posted this screen capture of the on line webcast of the launch:
Copenhagen Suborbitals gave this update on preparations for the launch on Sunday 11AM CEST (5 am ET, 9 am GMT) of their Sapphire actively guided rocket:
T minus 2 days and we are still go for launch.
Today mission control Vessel Vostok and crew arrived in Space Port Nexø carrying the Sapphire rocket and the last materials and supplies. Tomorrow Saturday 24th launch preparations will continue. The rocket will be stacked and fueled and we will go through the entire checkout sequence for all systems. Hopefully everything will work according to plan. If so flight director Kristian Von Bengtson will give the final “GO” and we will head out to the launch area early sunday morning.
Live coverage
Today the StreamTeam has been working on setting up the link antennas. Since we are launching 15 miles of shore getting the output of 8 HD cameras to the internet is a bit tricky, yet the solution is surprisingly simple. At the top of Vostoks masts we have attached a modified WIFI antenna on a rotatable platform. The platform is computer guided and always point at the same point ashore. Approximately 1 mile inland we have placed a 2 foot disc antenna that acts as a internet acess point. This way we are able to sustain a 5-10 mbit internet connection.
The camera signal are then sent to our facility in Copenhagen. Here our producer and to commentators can see a mosaic of all cameras. The signals are them mixed with audio and broadcasted to Youtube.
The livestream is now avalilable on our website – and we will begin broadcasting approximately 2 hours before launch.
Watch it here: http://www.copenhagensuborbitals.com/
Metal vanes in the nozzle outlet will control the rocket’s direction:
Kristian von Bengtson of Copenhagen Suborbitals writes about the status of the launch of the Sapphire active guided rocket: T minus 3 days – Sapphire Rocket Facts and Nerdy stuff to Know – Wired Science/Wired.com