Things are getting exciting. The Canadian DaVinci project announced yesterday that their do-it-self spaceship will make an attempt at the X-Prize with a launch scheduled for October 2'd. http://www.davinciproject.com/beta/index.html I haven't seen any photos of this thing, but apparently it's a conventional booster and capsule configuration, lifted by balloon to 80,000 feet before it's lit off. Plans apparently are to launch it out in Kindersley Saskatchewan. I'm a little concerned that they apparently are gonna go for the gold on their first shot. Rutan and his SpaceShipOne made some 14 test flights before trying for space, and still suffered a serious trim control problem on that flight. But it's definitely going to be interesting. Rutan has fixed his ship and is scheduled to make his first X-prize attempt on September 29. The X-prize sponsors got what they wanted: a space-race. I just hope that nobody gets killed. Canadians have got the right stuff, eh?
That’s what Canadians need: more space! My vote for the first pilot would be the City of Toronto planner that recently objected to Toronto’s urban sprawl by recommending Hong Kong as a model for Toronto’s growth! Vertical sprawl solves horizontal sprawl! In this model we don't need a rocket, we need only stand on the top of buildings and reach out to space. As for the rocket’s power I suggest Canada’s seemingly inexhaustible supply of gas bag politicians. It’s a close contest, but the edge has to go to the Alberta Premier, who during the recent BSE crisis, publicly advised ranchers to 'shoot, shovel and shut up'! If SCTV ever gets back together, this will surely be a Bob and Doug McKenzie skit.
Don't be so cynical. This thing is actually kind of moving. It's clearly one man's labor of love. At the time of the SpaceShipOne announcement, Feeney publicly disclosed today's rollout but acknowledged that his team was still $500,000 short of the funds needed for launch. Since then, the effort has found a new title sponsor, the online casino firm Golden Palace.com, which has pushed the effort forward. In honor of that, the da Vinci Project has been renamed the Golden Palace.com Space Program powered by the da Vinci Project. The all-volunteer da Vinci team spent about $350,000 of cash, $4 million of in-kind donations and they've put in 150,000 man-hours in pursuit of the X Prize, Feeney said. Feeney himself will pilot the first flight of his team's rocket ship, which is to be staged from above the team's launch site in Kindersley, a town in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. ... Unlike SpaceShipOne, Wild Fire has not undergone any test flights and Feeney said he would not disclose when such shakedowns – if any – were scheduled before the Oct. 2 flight. "We do have a few drop tests scheduled," he told SPACE.com. "We will fly." Feeney said Wild Fire and the da Vinci team will most likely arrive at the Kindersley launch site about a week before the first space shot. It should take about three days for the two trailer trucks packed with the Wild Fire rocket, balloon and other equipment to travel from the team's Toronto hangar to the launch site, he added. http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/davinci_xprizeupdate_040805.html It's kind of inspiring and touching and wonderful and sad, all at once. Rutan's team is small and underfunded, but the approximately $20 million they've spent is astronomical compared to to Feeney's $350,000. Rutan is a legendary aircraft designer and heads up a proven design firm that does work for corporate and government clients. His rocket engine was tested repeatedly. His astronauts are all experienced test pilots. His project was careful and incremental, with 14 increasingly ambitious test flights prior to his space attempt. Feeney is a dreamer, a man in love with space, heading up a team of volunteers that share his passion. Feeney's rocket isn't even completed yet. He apparently doesn't have the money for test flights. The whole thing seems appallingly risky and bare bones. His communications system is a lap-top. His rocket engine has apparently never been fired. But he intends to ride his creation, all the same. He's going to offer up his life for his dream. Feeney has spent eight years leading the da Vinci Project charge, with the backing of his family. "This is something he's always wanted to do," Joan Feeney -- Brian's mother – told SPACE.com. "We didn't really quite understand it at first, but we support him." John Feeney, Brian's father, added that both he and his wife are concerned. "But we're parents," he said. Melissa Feeney, Brian's 20-year-old daughter, said that while she wouldn't necessarily be the first to stand in line for an X Prize flight, she stands behind Wild Fire, the da Vinci Project and her father. "I am so proud of him," she said.
Canada's space program NASA buys the Canadian Black Brant rockets for exploring high altitudes between those acheivable by balloon and those of space satelites. Canada also builds parts of the space shuttle including the manipulator arm.
I find it interesting because Canada was a world aerospace leader in the 1950s and threw it all away. It developed the world's 2nd commercial jetliner (the UK was the 1st) only to cancel the program during the Korean War. I believe the CF100 was the first fighter to routinely exceed mach I. The Avro Arrow, which was the worlds most modern fighter with specs that would not be out of place today. It was cancelled after 5 were completed and another 20 were partially assembled. The day it was cancelled 15,000 aerospace workers were laid off and we haven't had but a passing glimpse of an industry we once lead. Many of the engineers and designers were later prominent at NASA and in the British aerospace industry including development of the Concord. A high school friend's uncle was one of the Arrows test-pilots.
However Canada does have a success with its CRJ regional jet. When I fly in the US I prefer to fly on either a CRJ or an ERJ because of their small size and their ability to use smaller airports.
Thanks Bill - the rest - for all the details. I sought out two stories online, and none had these interesting details. (Now, how does the old hockey franchise "Winnepeg Jets" tie into this?) --Orson
Bombardier has good success with its commuter jets. They keep getting bigger as time goes on. In the 1970s my friends test-pilot uncle died augering-in a Canadair Challenger, the first of the now Bombardier owned line. If I had the government subsidy money given to Canadair, Dehaviland, and Bombardier in the last 30 years, I would be counted amongst the worlds richest people.
Not quite related to Dennis' comment, but just as valid, the L.A. County Fire Dept. is using two Quebecair waterbombers to fight brush fires in Southern California. The project has been such a success that the California Department of Forestry and other city and county fire departments are looking into purchasing several of these aircraft to add to their fleet of water bombers. Quebecair does have an excellent reputation as being one of the best aircraft in the world.
The Washington State attempt: crashed 200 ft from take-off. Wash. State Team's Private Rocket Explodes
Here's a link to the CNN article on above. http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/08/09/bc.privaterocket.ap/index.html Fortunately, this was just a test carrying dummies (no humans), so nobody was injured... but it does highlight that this is a dangerous enterprise. Cheers, Tony
Another Canadian team is in the mix. This one seems to be doing a little more field testing then the DaVinci Project. http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/xprize_arrowdrop_040813.html http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/xprize_arrowdrop_update_040814.html
