Category Archives: DIY space

A high altitude balloon launched RC plane

March 12, 2013 TopSpacer

In a clever variation on the amateur high altitude balloon project, David Windestål of Sweden flew a radio controlled glider on a balloon to 30 km. He was able to direct the plane (to some extent) back to earth after it separated from the balloon and fell to an elevation where it became controllable: Build Your Own DIY Space Plane – Popular Science.

Here are details of the project: FPV to Space and back – RC Explorer

And a video:

DIY space, Rockets

Copenhagen Suborbitals: Hydrogen peroxide production

March 7, 2013 TopSpacer 1 Comment

This video describes a system built by Copenhagen Suborbitals to produce rocket grade hydrogen peroxide:

From the caption:

Hydrogen peroxide in concentrations from 70 – 95 % is a storable, non toxic rocket oxidizer and mono propellant. It has been used with excellent results in both bi propellant and hybrid propellant rocket engines. Rocket grade hydrogen peroxide can be handled safely with the right procedures, materials and proper education of propellant technicians.

However – while cost is low, the availability of rocket grade hydrogen peroxide is very limited. It is close to impossible to obtain, even for established aerospace companies – because its propulsion use is a very small market.

As Copenhagen Suborbitals moves on to build a more power full pumped version of the TM65 LOX / bioethanol rocket engine a source for rocket grade hydrogen peroxide was needed. For reasons of safety, and to prevent the need for cross border road transport, large scale storage, and to have a reliable surply we decided to build our own hydrogen peroxide plant. Its integrated into a 8 foot shipping container and has a capacity of one ton / year. It converts easily avalible 30 % – 35 % commercial grade hydrogen peroxide into rocket grade material at 80 % – 95 %.

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DIY space, Space participation

Training for suborbital spaceflight – needed or not?

March 7, 2013 TopSpacer 3 Comments

Kristian von Bengtson of Copenhagen Suborbitals is skeptical of the need for specialize training for people going on suborbital space flights: Why Training for a Suborbital Spaceflight is Just another Great Story at the Local Chesterfield Club – Wired Science/Wired.com.

I’ll note that there have usually been three reasons given for suborbital spaceflight training such as that provided at NASTAR Center:

To insure that those with potential health issues, e.g. advanced age and cardiovascular problems, can do the flight safely
To allow suborbital spaceflight ticket holders to practice the zero-g phase with parabolic flights so they can maximize their enjoyment during the five minutes at the apogee of their flight.
To include training as part of the whole experience of the spaceflight, which is very expensive at this early stage.

These all seem perfectly reasonable to me and I expect training to remain a part of suborbital adventure spaceflights even if its true that most people would survive a suborbital space flight without it.