Peter Madsen's Danish space rocket

[Dan D]

I read in my local rag today (Sept. 2) that our friend Peter Madsen,who let us ride his self-built u-boat during last years' subsim meeting in Copenhagen/Denmark, and his colleague Kristian von Bengtson will launch their rocket "Heat-1 X-Tycho-Brahe" (40.000 € development costs) today.

"The rocket manned with a 70 kilogram astronaut dummy is to go up 30 kilometers and should go down in the Baltic sea, if things work out, so that the rocket can be used again".


Anybody else got more info on the story?

[TLAM Strike]

Photos of the suborbital spacecraft in question:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/08/27/heat_launch/

[Dowly]

Yes indeed, if the manned space programme comes to nothing, there's always a bright future in the cocaine-smuggling business. (referring to the sub they built)

Hopefully all goes well.

[Dan D]

Originally Posted by TLAM Strike

Photos of the suborbital spacecraft in question:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/08/27/heat_launch/

From the article:
The first HEAT unmanned blast-off is slated for next Tuesday, when it will depart its floating launch platform off the Baltic island of Bornholm.

Damn it. I have just returned from Bornholm where I have spent my holidays.
It seems to me that Bornholm is a good choice to launch the rocket, an isle in the middle of the Baltic sea, closer to Sweden an Poland than to Denmark, if I remember correctly.

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by Dan D

It seems to me that Bornholm is a good choice to launch the rocket, an isle in the middle of the Baltic sea, closer to Sweden an Poland than to Denmark, if I remember correctly.

...and close enough to Russia to light up our air defense network radars...

[Dan D]

Originally Posted by TLAM Strike

...and close enough to Russia to light up our air defense network radars...

That is what I like about the whole thing.

In what world we are living in Europe if a decent man can't launch his private space rocket from Bornholm/Denmark to let it go down in the Baltic Sea afterwards?

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by Dan D

That is what I like about the whole thing.

In what world we are living in Europe if a decent man can't launch his private space rocket from Bornholm/Denmark to let it go down in the Baltic Sea afterwards?

[razark]

Their website says possible launch date Saturday, with a 50% chance.