Author: Administrator

All the MHD generator units have been broken down. We’re building them back up with smaller tiles. The large tiles tend to crack under the high thermal shock. The smaller tiles should be able to expanding and contract.

One generator will be for the ‘D’ and ‘E’ motors with the Faraday configuration. This will let us start to get a electrical power to thrust curve (we have the ‘C’ data). The other unit will use the small motors and be set up in a Hall effect configuration. I expect twenty or so firings before we see our first electron.

It’s Christmas Eve and the shop elves are busy clipping propeller blades and building a cardboard drawing board.

Have a safe and happy one!

Here’s the new hatch for the crew module mock up:

A reporter from a local news station just spent a couple of hours in the shop filming a story about the Sand Bricks (the other thing we do). He also spend time filming on the JPA side of the house for a future story.

It will be a late night in the shop tonight. He’s coming back at 10pm to film a live teaser piece. The story is going to air tonight at 10:30 on FOX40NEWS. It should go on their website soon after.

Inside the the Ascender 100. This is from about a year ago.

Today was crew module mock up day. First we routed power through the wall and ran velcro electrical cable lines up the walls. This eliminated the trip hazard and the mess of extension cords running through the hatch. We also made a reversible hatch door for the hatch. You mounted it outside and it a traditional hinge hatch like on a submarine. Flip it move it inside and it has the back frame and works as a plug hatch. The plan it to have the first flight vehicles use plug hatches, then we’ll move to hinged hatch.

This was a bit beat up used fiberglass prop. With a fair amount of wet sanding with 1000 grit, a touch of epoxy fill and a coat of clear UV protection  it came out nice.

I can just feel the Pup wanting to get out there and chase down balloons!

Joseph asked if there was a description of the on deck projects. There is but it’s a forty page project management doc and not on the web. Here’s the short version:

1. Tandem Airship              Status: Vehicle complete, First flight 2011

2. Positron Survey Mission 1 (Cloud Chamber High Rack). This will be a series of flights.
Status: Initial cloud chamber built and tested. Flight cloud chamber under construction.

3. Spaceflight Rocket Launch Box Flight

This will test the reel down mechanism for lowing the launch box away from the balloons. This flight will act as a dress rehearsal for the spaceflight rockoon mission.
Status: The structure is complete. Long length reel test to be done in the spring.

4. Spaceflight Rocket Low Altitude Ground launch.

This is both a training flight and a test of the new instrument configuration.
Status: Rocket, without instrumentation, is complete.

5. Crew Module Mockup
Status: Complete, but constantly being reconfigured.

6. Ascender 100 Air beam Rib.
Status: First generation rib built and tested. Second generation rib begin designed.

7. Swept wing RC plane         Status: Construction plans being drafted.

8. Jellyfish balloons, Box Jelly, Moon Jelly and Cloud Jelly. Balloon for 200,000 foot plus altitudes.
Status: Initial Box Jelly test complete.

9. Balloon launched rocket to 70 miles.            Status: Hip deep in paperwork.

10. Inner Lifting Cell Interface Deck Test Article.
Status: Materials purchased, assemble not yet started.

11. 25 foot Diameter Integrated Lifting Arm Dark Sky Station with Scale Crew Module.
Status: Pending #10.

12. Desktop Quad Engine
Status: Complete. Awaiting desert firing trip.

13. Small rocket launch from high rack.
Status: Two missions already completed. The vehicle for the third mission is complete and awaiting launch date.

14. Ascender 100 Nose Rib
Status: 80 percent rib completed and tested. Construction of flight rib not yet begun.

15. High altitude laser drag reduction system test.
Status: Dual laser test at 105,000 feet completed. Ten laser test pending getting six more lasers from  discarded 16X or better DVD writers. If you have one send it along.

16. Roller Deployed Balloon Flight Test Rig
Status: Two low altitude flight completed. High altitude flight pending mechanism rebuild.

17. Long Structural Air Beams.
Status: One 50 foot air beam built. Low pressure tests complete.

18. Ascender 100.   Status: Outer shell only complete.

She got a new gear, new wheels and axles. Now for the propeller.

The world on edge.