Danish firm develops one-man booster rocket
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A small Danish organisation funded entirely by sponsorship is developing a rocket to send a man into space.
Led by Kristian von Bengtson and Peter Madsen, Copenhagen Suborbitals is currently testing a series of booster rockets that will eventually launch a man into space in a small pressurised capsule called the Tycho Brahe-1.
The first of the outfit’s so-called liquid-oxygen powered Hybrid Exo Atmospheric Transporter, or HEAT, boosters will be launched off the coast of Denmark between 30 August and 13 September from a barge in the Baltic Sea. The booster will burn for about 60 seconds, enabling engineers to validate and test its performance.
Eventually, the engineers plan to use a similar booster to launch the Tycho Brahe-1 capsule into a suborbital trajectory.
During the first phase of the flight, the booster will separate from the capsule, after which the capsule will travel through a zero-g parabola, before re-entering the earth’s atmosphere. Then, a drogue parachute, followed by main parachutes, will be deployed to carry the capsule and its occupant safely back to earth.
The capsule itself only has enough space for one astronaut who must stand upright during the course of the flight, looking out through a polymer Plexiglas dome. Because of the tight space constraints, the astronaut cannot move around inside it either − he will only be able to move his arms to operate the control systems.
Click here if you wish to donate to Copenhagen Suborbitals’ mission.
Readers' comments (5)
Michael Libman | 25 Aug 2010 2:51 pm
This has got to be the most Extreme ride you'll every take in your life. You'll have to be a complete lunatic to want to be locked inside one of these capsules. It must be the most dangerous and uncomfortable form of transport ever devised. I certainly wouldn't want to be inside one standing up suffering several G's from a heavily pulsating thrust for 30 seconds before crossing your fingers hopeing that the parachute will open or the air seal doesn't break, that's if you're consious at the time because I'm sure the G's will knock you out after the first few seconds!
What a way to go though? They could even put some firework gunpowder in it so you could go out with a real flare!
I'm sure there will be a market for this, imagine all those Millionaires out there on their last legs perhaps dieing of old age or an incurable illness.....
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Anonymous | 25 Aug 2010 3:52 pm
What could possibly be the motive for any company to design this one man rocket? How can a plexiglas bubble protect someone from the high temperatures upon re-entry? Who could possibly be foolish enough to take this type of chance with their life? With so many real problems in this world, what real purpose does designing this serve?
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Tim Perry | 25 Aug 2010 4:23 pm
Heating on re-entry will be far less in an up-and-down shot like this, compared to a craft entering the atmosphere at orbital speeds, which are upwards of Mach 25. The drop will be similar to the free-fall attempt being done shortly.
Tim Perry
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Stephen Mosley | 25 Aug 2010 4:46 pm
I usually at least claim to be enthusiastic about climbing on board rockets and what have you, given the chance, but even I'm not sure about this! I like the thinking behind it - the reduction of potential problems via the reduction of the spacecraft, a sort of micro-satellite approach to manned spaceflight. However I believe there is a reason for astronauts usually being launched in the prone position and the idea of just a plexiglass dome between me and a hostile environment would be rather daunting.
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BB | 26 Aug 2010 11:04 am
I imagine the programme is seeking over-tall astronauts. By the time the acceleration phase is complete, they won't have any problems finding trousers that fit!
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