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Standing room only - the world's tiniest manned suborbital vehicle [from 2012]
gizmag.com ^
| May 20, 2012
| Brian Dodson
Posted on 05/30/2014 7:23:27 AM PDT by BenLurkin
CS's Tycho Brahe is a one-passenger capsule intended for a purely ballistic flight to a peak altitude approaching 100 miles. The passenger is just along for the ride, with no mechanism to steer or otherwise pilot the capsule. Were it not for the transparent hemisphere (a plastic fishbowl) surrounding the passenger's head, the capsule would certainly be called claustrophobic, with a launch weight of 300 kg (660 lbs), a diameter of 0.62 m (2.03 feet), a capsule length of 3.5 m (11.5 feet) and a "cabin" length of 2.3 m (7.5 feet)
...
After the weightless part of the flight is ended, the Tycho Brahe has a heat shield which consists of multiple layers of cork tiles wrapped around the capsule to a total thickness of 15 mm (0.59 inches). The capsule has one drogue and three cross-shaped main parachutes for recovery, with a total area of 145 sq m (1560 sq ft). If something goes amiss, the passenger is also equipped with a personal parachute for "panic egress".
(Excerpt) Read more at gizmag.com ...
TOPICS: Travel
KEYWORDS:
1
posted on
05/30/2014 7:23:27 AM PDT
by
BenLurkin
To: BenLurkin
2
posted on
05/30/2014 7:27:22 AM PDT
by
Vaquero
(Don't pick a fight with an old guy. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.)
To: BenLurkin
Except your head in a bubble is not heat protected ... so the last sensation you experience is the sizzling sound of broiling meat.
3
posted on
05/30/2014 7:27:50 AM PDT
by
knarf
(I say things that are true .. I have no proof .. but they're true.)
To: knarf
The last sensation you get is having your legs splinter as you get to take 8 Gs standing-up.
4
posted on
05/30/2014 7:32:58 AM PDT
by
pabianice
(LINE)
To: BenLurkin
If something goes amiss, the passenger is also equipped with a personal parachute for "panic egress".Um, yeah. I'll pass.
To: pabianice
looks a little more like crucifiction without the crossbar
6
posted on
05/30/2014 7:38:55 AM PDT
by
knarf
(I say things that are true .. I have no proof .. but they're true.)
To: pabianice; knarf; All
7
posted on
05/30/2014 7:40:37 AM PDT
by
BenLurkin
(This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both.)
To: knarf
Reentry is a good question.
If you assume that there is no appreciable drag until you hit around 100,000ft, then gravitation acceleration will bring the vehicle to 3500 miles per hour.
That’s really fast and certainly a heat producer, but its not orbital reentry fast, so a comparable heat sheild isn’t required. That said, the heat is still likely to peak at 700-1000F, so cooling the occupant and prevent shell failure is a real concern.
8
posted on
05/30/2014 7:41:26 AM PDT
by
SampleMan
(Feral Humans are the refuse of socialism.)
To: BenLurkin
The best part about it is you have utterly no control over anything.
9
posted on
05/30/2014 7:43:12 AM PDT
by
Lazamataz
(Early 2009 to 7/21/2013 - RIP my little girl Cathy. You were the best cat ever. You will be missed.)
To: BenLurkin
Looks Like a REALLY BIG condom.
10
posted on
05/30/2014 7:50:13 AM PDT
by
left that other site
(You shall know the Truth, and The Truth Shall Set You Free.)
To: knarf
11
posted on
05/30/2014 7:59:19 AM PDT
by
usurper
(Liberals GET OFF MY LAWN)
To: BenLurkin
Since it's not re-entering from orbital speed, there will be no more heat going down than going up.
NASA *could* have designed their space crafts without heat shields if they instead could carry enough fuel to slow down much more before re-entry.
I guess the heat shield for the aero brake re-entry method weighed less than the fuel it would take to do the same thing.
12
posted on
05/30/2014 8:04:46 AM PDT
by
BitWielder1
(Corporate Profits are better than Government Waste)
To: Vaquero
Thepassenger is”Just Along For The Ride”?This sounds like The Citizenry Of The United States of America during the”Reign”of Obongo”The Messiah”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To: SampleMan
a little over half an inch thick cork for a heat shield does not convince me my fears of burning up are unfounded.
14
posted on
05/30/2014 8:56:19 AM PDT
by
Secret Agent Man
(Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
To: BenLurkin
didn’t Lanier have one of these?
15
posted on
05/30/2014 9:00:19 AM PDT
by
camle
(keep an open mind and someone will fill it full of something for you)
To: Secret Agent Man
a little over half an inch thick cork for a heat shield does not convince me my fears of burning up are unfounded. Sissy. ;-)
16
posted on
05/30/2014 9:27:35 AM PDT
by
SampleMan
(Feral Humans are the refuse of socialism.)
To: Lazamataz
The best part about it is you have utterly no control over anything. Call it the "ObamaCare Capsule"
17
posted on
05/30/2014 9:31:03 AM PDT
by
COBOL2Java
(I'm a Christian, pro-life, pro-gun, Reaganite. The GOP hates me. Why should I vote for them?)
To: COBOL2Java
Call it Deep Vein Thrombosis One
18
posted on
05/30/2014 9:32:53 AM PDT
by
GeronL
(Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
To: SampleMan
19
posted on
05/30/2014 9:48:10 AM PDT
by
Secret Agent Man
(Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
To: BenLurkin
CS's Tycho Brahe is a one-passenger capsule intended for a purely ballistic flight to a peak altitude approaching 100 miles. Like riding on a bullet.
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