Go On Board With a Homemade Rocket That Blasts Past 100,000 Feet
- Posted on October 11, 2011 at 7:04am by
Liz Klimas
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Some rocketeers have a Homer Hickam bug, wanting to push the limits of how high their rockets will go. And, when there is $10,000 on the line to make it soar past 100,000 feet, the incentive is that much greater.
According to Popular Science, John Carmack, founder of Armadillo Aerospace, launched a challenge to rocketeers that he would give a $5,000 reward to anyone who put their rocket up 100,000 feet or higher, recorded the altitude through GPS and recovered the rocket when it reached the ground. An additional $5,000 was donated from several people, adding up to a $10,00 grand total.
Late last month, Derek Deville believes he surpassed that height with Qu8k. Watch for yourself as the far-from-amateur-style rocket explodes upward in a cloud of dust in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert:
Unfortunately for this launch, the GPS system was unable to take a reading from its highest altitude, although the team did recover the rocket three miles from the site. Popular Science reports it believes Carmack’s challenge will be fulfilled soon. Since August, four groups have taken the challenge.
Qu8k is 167.5 inches long and weighs 320 pounds with a thrust of 4,000 pounds for eight seconds. Deville’s website reports a 121,000 maximum height on the rocket. For some perspective on the 100,000 foot goal, a model rocket sold to the 18 and older crowd called Executioner by Estes Rockets only goes up to 600 feet.
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Comments (45)
JasonHodge
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 4:26pmThere’s some bacteria on that rocket sporting astronaut wings.
Report Post »doctorL
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 4:13pmhow would OB1 lookcomming down without a chute?? Hot . . . very very hot then flat very very flat
Report Post »Phil H
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 3:14pmActually some basic Estes rockets can exceed 2000′.
Report Post »http://www.estesrockets.com/rockets/kits/skill-3/00138-comanche-3tm
noblevegas
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 4:10pmAnd to think the only way these guys could pull this off was through extensive government loans and grants, unionized labor for the assembly, NASA executing the launch for them, increased regulations on what can and cannot fly, as well as a health care system that can finally let these men dream.
Wait a minute…
Report Post »gmoneytx
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 3:01pmNext time they should strap Obama to the rocket and forget the parachute. I wonder what he’d look like coming back to earth going mach 2?
Report Post »doctorL
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 4:11pmhot very hot OH yea
Report Post »Islegend
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 12:48pmDon’t let Hamas get ahold of one of these guys. Back in High School I built a rubber compound/ Al-03 based rocket. It was 7 feet long, and passed about 6 thousand feet. I used a stainless steel throat. A couple of years later I built three liquid fueled engines. All three blew up, due to an inability to manufacture a ceramic throat, and proper gasket system. First burn time was 4 seconds, the second 17 and last burn time 54 Seconds. Thrust in the 100 Lb range. I was making progress, but money, (and dating) stopped me from going further.
Never had such a wide grin on my face when testing these things. Started model rocketry at age 9.
Report Post »WatchingThePuppetShow
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 12:28pmThat was kick ass!! But next flight please strap me on the rocket so I can get outta this place…it‘s gettin’ nuts.
Report Post »ZengaPA65
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:29pmyeah anyway, great name too.
Report Post »Penn
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 12:18pmMore proof that offering prizes or rewards for technological advances is the best way to invest. From the clipper ships to Lindbergh to Rutan, the return on investment can be astronomical. Compare this to the government “subsidizing” green companies. Imagine the amount of investment by groups of inventors/investors if the government offered a $25 million tax free prize for the first car to travel from NYC to LA with four people, averaging 60 mph without refueling. How about the same prize for designing a HVAC system that is 100% carbon neutral? It might have been Sir Richard Branson who said for every dollar of prize money there were 30 dollars of venture capital spent from PRIVATE investors.
Report Post »DanWesson455
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 12:02pmPut some pig crap in it and aim for a private NYC park.
Report Post »Mike N
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 12:40pmDon’t waste pig crap on NYC . . . send it directly to Iran.
Report Post »Pokerjoe
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 11:42amVery good and good luck. Please dont stop. You will do great things.
Report Post »Gorp
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 11:28amI’ve always been fasinated by rockets and space travel.
All I can say is WOW THAT’S AWESOME!! Great Job!
Report Post »VincentV
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 11:05amYou folks realize that “Carmack” is the Carmack from iD Software? Talk about American exceptionalism! Whatever you may think about their games’ content they certainly galvanized & revolutionized the gaming industry, and inspired hordes of future programmers. And now one of iD’s leaders has the dough to help inspire future rocketeers, I think that’s pretty cool.
Report Post »silent_bob
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 10:29amthe next challenge: add a second stage and see how high she’ll go. Bye bye rocket because she’s not coming back.
Report Post »JohnHW
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 11:02amIt is not the height, only. Anything fired straight up will fall back unless it blasts past 25,700 mph. To go into orbit, it would have to make a “90 degree turn” and achieve about 17,500 mph – then it won’t fall back to Earth until the thin air slows it down to suborbital speed.
Report Post »comeANDtakeIT_78629
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 9:31amAmazing! I’m just wondering if they got big brothers approval to launch this rocket. I‘m sure they did but if they didn’t.. na na nuh na.. A running they’ll come and will probably find a reason to arrest these people for “endangerment” or something. Outstanding video! Very inspirational. Keep up the great work!
Report Post »vtanner
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 10:24amIt is all pre-cleared with the FAA. Went to a launch on the Black Rock playa some years ago with my son and had a blast. Congrats to Derek, that was an awsome launch!
Report Post »TxSon
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 9:27amAwesome!
Report Post »ravinginfidel
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 9:15amI want one.
Report Post »hotrodrockets
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 8:34amTHANK YOU BLAZE!
From a hard core rocketry person (not part of that launch)……
Thank you so much for adding this to your site. These guys are what makes America great!
These folks are regular, ordinary Americans, doing great things in their spare time.
You do abetter job the lamestream types who try to make rocketry folks look like “rednecks”…….
Everyone needs to teach their kids about rocketry.
Hey Blaze ,Glenn Beck, and GBTV , come on up and visit a rocket launch.
NAR.org
Here’s an invite to all for LDRS 31 next July in Upstate Ny. Stop by my tent and talk rockets.
….. did I mention how happy I am this is on the Blaze?
Report Post »robstoddard
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 9:21amREDNECKS!?!? Cmon guy, rednecks produce some of the coolest gadgets, from mechs to homemade UAVs that fire rockets. Redneck engineering is the epitome of modern science.
Report Post »Slowman101
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 11:17amOH? Where in upstate New York? I live in Syracuse.
Report Post »hotrodrockets
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 11:46amLDRS (Large Dangerous Rocket Ships) is an annual event. Next year in Potter, Ny Weekend of July 12th.
This year it was in Kansas, T.V. coverage is October 30…I think?
Slowman101: The drive from Syracuse should not be that bad. My family and I have 9 hour trip to get there. But folks form all over North America will show up.
Anyone interested should check out NAR.org or tripoli.org and find a lunch in your area.
Report Post »AND BRING YOUR KIDS!
Inspire them to explore Science and Math.
.
hotrodrockets
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 11:47amCheck out a Launch in your area.
Report Post »lunch is good also…..
The Catbird
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 8:22amThis is a true example of “American Exceptionalism” in motion. Its guys like this who’ve made our Republic great and will continue to do so.
Report Post »shaneinNC
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 8:10amThats just good ol American bad-ass know how.
Report Post »South Philly Boy
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 8:09amAwesome
Report Post »Larryjr
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 8:02amThat is AWESOME!
Report Post »Tear Em Up
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 8:00amNice Rocketboys reference there ;^) We need to re-invest in NASA and other ways to explore space.
http://traffic.libsyn.com/mikeleeandterrymartin/Number_84_Oct._10th._2011.mp3
Report Post »olddog
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 7:59amFun and educational, great way to get High..
Report Post »poverty.sucks
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 7:52amWhen I introduced model Rocketing to my kids, I wanted to display how far up I can get the rocket to go. OOh, look what daddy can do! I exceed all of our expectations, we never saw it again. Around the house, that’s always a good laugh at my expense.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 7:41amI wonder how many Palestinians are in the competition?
Report Post »SamIamTwo
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 7:16amWhat possible uses will this have? Self protection from Iran? You know Obama’s not going to do anything.
Report Post »RichNGadsden
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 7:31amIt’s more of an educational tool, much like the launches made by the mentioned Homer Hickam while in High School. He eventually became an Aerospace Engineer with NASA and while not an astronaut he was a payload specialist. We’ll need future engineers in NASA to replace what this administration has dumped on them.
Report Post »Desert Dog
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 7:33amIt’s called the “Pioneering Spirit”. The need to look beyond the next hill.
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