Upaerospace is GO for launch...

Private cheap and legal. America's Spaceport is gonna get a work out from these guys starting today... CBC Radio 5AM news reports all systems are GO! Another milestone in the democratization of space flight. 110Km altitude to start with and a parachute soft return. I love this stuff and was born 50 years too early! Even this very first flight will make money! Wow! Check it out at www.upaerospace.com...

Exciting times...

Victor K.

[edit on 25-9-2006 by V Kaminski]

Exciting times, indeed. I wonder what our children and our grandchildren will think of this era? "What noobs" ?

Someday I hope to have the mulla to go into space...But the average price tag for a sub-orbital trip is like 200,000 grand...ummmm....y--e--a--h.
I dont have that kinda cash so I think I'll just try to click my heels 3 times with my fingers crossed while I knock on wood and rub my Powerball ticket on a bald guys head and pray.

Too bad it didn't fly a bit better - fumble-rooskie-deluxe. Max-Oops. Crash Report.

They'll be back at Spaceport America soon.

Victor K.

[edit on 26-9-2006 by V Kaminski]

I'm betting on fuel grain failure as the primary cause.

I'd double my bet if they tried to use a single, non-segmented fuel grain; those things can be tricky to pour. and if you get an internal void in the grain, the "hot-spot" that develops can blow the whole she-bang!

Wish the article provided more details on the air-frame; they talk about a carbon motor casing but don't say what they used for the air-frame, bet it was aluminum. We liked aluminum for the motor casing and hand-laid carbon for the air-frame.

Better luck next time UP Aerospace.

Remember,

Failure=Opportunity!