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Copenhagen Suborbitals Successfully Launches Active Guided Rocket
- jontro 13y agoNice, though I wonder what is so notable with the ground track offset.
- doctorstupid 13y agoIt means that the guidance system kept the rocket flying straight upwards.
- mixmax 13y agoIt shows that the active guidance works as expected. Active guidance is extremely difficult. The hardware is difficult because you need to design jetvanes that work under extreme pressure, and in a 3000 degree jet exhaust. The software is difficult because it needs to be extremely reliable while still compensating for a lot of factors such as wind, spin, air density, etc. and you can't test it, so there is no space for bugs. No amateurs have ever even attempted active guidance before, and getting it right in the first go is a huge accomplishment.
- ulrikrasmussen 13y agoRegarding testing, aren't there any possibilities of testing just parts of the software, possibly via simulation, or is everything so inter-dependent that a live physical test is the only way to go? It's pretty impressive to get something so complex right in the first try! Props!
- mixmax 13y agoYou can of course test subsystems, how they play with each other, I/O, etc. But the main job of actually sending the rocket straight up is not testable. You could build simulations, but they wouldn't help much since there are so many parameters, unknowns, etc. that building an accurate simulation would probably be as expensive as a test. Besides, tests are much more fun!
- hobs 13y agoJust build it in Kerbal Space Program!
- ballooney 13y agoThis is incorrect, there have been successfully flown, actively stabilised, passively unstable model rockets made by amateurs before. E.g. Gyroc in the UK. michael.sdf-eu.org/Gyroc/ There have also been a few in the states. All passively unstable too.
- Svip 13y agoWould that make Denmark the fourth nation to independently achieve manned space flight, behind Russia/USSR, USA and China? Or is it disqualified for not being government run?
- kawsper 13y agoIt was unmanned. Their final goal is to launch a human into space.
- Svip 13y agoHence why I wrote 'would' and not 'does'. My question is if it counts once they actually manage.
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- kalms 13y agoIt would be highly unfair if it got overlooked on those grounds.
- jlgreco 13y agoI'm not sure how doing manned suborbitals would stack up against Japan's JAXA which semi-regularly puts things into orbit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H-IIA#Launch_history https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H-IIA#Launch_history They don't have active plans for manned missions right now iirc, but I would venture to guess that if they wanted to, they could put someone up there without too much effort. The most immediately obvious hurdle is that they would need a human-rated pressurized reentry vehicle.
- Svip 13y agoPerhaps, but the record is to put a human in space. The Soviets won most of the space race, because they did most of the milestones first. In the terms of race; Denmark could beat Japan if Japan never puts a human in space beforehand. Of course, saying 'Denmark' in this context seems a bit weird, as it is not our government pushing it, but volunteers. But I will admit it does make me a little proud to be Danish. One of those few times.
- mixmax 13y agoWhat this means is that the major obstacles for going into space have been cleared (reliable engine, logistics around sea launch, active guidance) so the next launch will be Heat2x, which has the potential to reach an altitude of 130 km. Space starts at 100 km. Disclaimer: I'm involved with Copenhagen Suborbitals, and managed the livestreaming of the event.
- vanderZwan 13y agoDid you see the joke comparing your achievement to the resekort situation[1]? [1] https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151666565407048&set=a.159725812047.118433.826732047&type=1&theater https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151666565407048&se...
- Svip 13y agoI think they did.[0] [0] http://ing.dk/blog/hvorfor-man-ikke-kan-sammenligne-suborbitals-og-rejsekortet-160023 http://ing.dk/blog/hvorfor-man-ikke-kan-sammenligne-suborbit...
- mixmax 13y agoyes - it was hilarious! Rejsekortet is such an embarrasment to Denmark, my only constellation is that I once had sex with the CEO's daughter.
- vanderZwan 13y agoThat escalated quickly.
- kmfrk 13y agoI think you mean "consolation", but I understand the reasons for the typo.
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- angersock 13y ago
- sbmassey 13y agoShould other nations start watching out for space Vikings?
- trebor 13y agoAnyone else get the H. Beam Piper reference?
- workhere-io 13y agoShort launch video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rva9J_3njnI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rva9J_3njnI
- grecy 13y agoCool. Thanks. Does anyone know why the flames appear to "stutter" from the rocket in slow motion? Is that expected behavior?
- omegant 13y agoIt looks like turbulence or presure spikes on the chamber at ignition, depending the magnitude that could lead to a explosion (I just an aficionado, so take this opinion for what it´s worth) I also follow the sugar rocket to space project, and I think they had some problems with this, and with cracking in the propellant. Is the data from the launch available?.
- sorenbs 13y agoThe youtube channel is the best way to catch up with the project. There are some cool videos of engine tests and a handful of very professionally edited videos of the team explaining different stuff http://www.youtube.com/user/CphSuborbitals?feature=watch http://www.youtube.com/user/CphSuborbitals?feature=watch