Ugandan Seeks To Build Backyard Space Shuttle 136
An anonymous reader writes "Who says that only big, militaristic states are capable of manned space flight? The BBC reports on an attempt by Chris Nsamba to build what he hopes would be the first crewed spacecraft designed and built in Africa. Not that Nsamba, the Ugandan founder of the self-styled African Space Research Program, doesn't have any good role models. NASA's first African American flight director, Kwatsi Alibaruho, traces his roots to Uganda." Hopefully the press will help Nsamba's cause. I sincerely hope he makes it into space one day.
simulating zero gravity (Score:1)
A lack of local facilities is hampering the project and I asked Chris Nsamba how he plans to simulate zero gravity, for example, in Kampala.
"Easy" he said. "I've got a jet engine on order so I'm planning to build a tunnel, put the engine at one end and when I throw a guy in he'll float in a similar way to how he would in space."
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"in a similar way," yeah, similar in that they're both dead now.
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I was assuming the engine will be above/after the "skydiving area" with a grate to keep people out, and it would draw in fresh air from outside. That could work. But it's still not a zero-G simulator, it's a falling at terminal velocity simulator.
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But it's still not a zero-G simulator, it's a falling at terminal velocity simulator.
Nonsense! It just means the Ugandans will be prepared for those windy days on the ISS.
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Assuming they're getting a turbofan: You can always direct the turbine exhaust elsewhere so that it doesn't mix with the fan air. Fan air can go through a heat exchanger if you really need to cool it down, I don't think it'd be necessary.
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I've seen a jig just like they propose where fan air goes through a bunch of nozzles where it's mixing with external air, sort of like Dyson's "air multiplier" fan. No need for any cooling -- they planned on having some, but it worked well enough that they removed the heat exchanger. The temp rise was 25C. Toasty, but bearable.
As for rocketry: the first thing is to do is to model the heck out of everything, all the way to the test beds. That means hardware-in-the-loop test beds, software-in-for-hardware sta
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As long as they can make that rocket affordably, they can just keep shooting it up till all the bugs get worked out. As to how many resources it takes: if they get labor comparably for "free", who knows -- they may just pull it off. I wish them well. I do worry that they're a cargo cult bunch at this point, like another reader aptly noted. Of course experience plays a big role: good luck in finding in Africa people that SpaceX could "snatch" from closing-up NASA-related programs. At lest those guys do some
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Not hundreds of millions of dollars worth: SpaceX pulled off entire Falcon 1 -- avionics, two new engines, tanks, tooling, testing, launch complex, fuel, hauling by the sea for a couple hundred mil. I don't think they were using very advanced materials either. Of course you can't exactly make pressure tanks designed with factor of safety (F.S.) 1.5 using materials of unknown provenance. But they may well design it first just so that it flies its own weight, with 0 effective payload. You increase factors of
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But there is gravity inside the air plane.
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But there is gravity inside the air plane.
Not very much, no.
Theory of relativity [wikipedia.org]
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Re:simulating zero gravity (Score:4, Informative)
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Context, you fail it. Comprehension, you fail it too.
Context is everything: in a "falling at terminal velocity simulator", you are falling through air. In a zero-gravity simulator, you are not, because the air immediately surrounding you is moving at the same speed as yourself. That's the context. Comprehend?
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Forgot to switch to an alt?
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Sounds like he's building something like a "skydiving tunnel" but that's not exactly a zero-G simulator...
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Sounds like he's building something like a "skydiving tunnel" but that's not exactly a zero-G simulator...
Yeah. As any skydiver will tell you, what we call "free fall" is not the same physicists call free fall. We're definitely not at zero-g (we don't feel like we're falling, just like there's a lot of wind), and we most certainly don't move in the same way astronauts would move at zero-g. It's more akin to how a plane flies...you change your body position in relation to the relative wind, and that causes the wind to turn / move you. That training wouldn't help at all.
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It's actually not difficult to generate 'zero-G' environment. Built a tall tower, and dig a deep vertical tunnel underneath it. Install an elevator, that can go up, then fly down in a free fall but at some point engage engines to come to a smooth stop. If the tower and the tunnel are very tall/deep, you can have a few seconds of 'zero-G' happening. Don't know how useful that is, but it can be done without jet engines.
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Not necessarily, if the elevator is used, then it can be accelerated downwards beyond normal free fall by motors and the air friction would be overcome really easy.
What he needs is... (Score:2)
an adorable sidekick, like a bonobo or a kitten or something.
Then he can easily get the popularity and funding to make this happen.
Backyard Space Shuttle.... (Score:4, Funny)
These guys [topgear.com] already beat him to it...
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Calling one of those turds a "car" was mighty generous of them.
CmdrTaco's new job! (Score:4, Funny)
Test pilot!
Maybe someday... (Score:2)
he'll make Captain.
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I do. (Score:4, Insightful)
I have no doubt they have the ability to make a "spacecraft".
Actually getting that in to space, particularly with squishy meat bags on board that don't want to go "pop", is another story.
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Heh.
Police: Are you classified as human?
Korben Dallas: Negative, I am a meat popsicle.
Re:I do. (Score:5, Funny)
Bono was on tv this morning asking people to save their old rubber bands for the propulsion system.
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I'm surprised he doesn't power the whole thing by himself by all the hot air he produces...
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There's also the "backyard" problem.
I don't know about your neighbors, but mine would be quite angry over launching even a Mercury class rocket from mine . .
Also, it would be awfully rough on the tomatoes and berry bushes. The melons and corn, too, I suppose, but to he'll with them; they just sucked water and didn't produce.
hawk
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Are you just automatically assuming that, because they are in Africa, they have no chance?
Almost seems insulting.
If you looked at the pic of the "shuttle" in TFA you'd understand. I want the guy to succeed too, but...just look at that sorry thing...
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I'll admit I didn't finish RTFAing. If it's a glider then it looks sufficient.
I'm racist you say? LOL
Re:Why the idle? (Score:4, Insightful)
This whole endeavor seems a bit like a cargo cult [wikipedia.org] to me. I see no signs of actual scientific rigour, and instead just a "let's build things that superficially look like things we've seen before" attitude.
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A cargo cult is a religious practice that has appeared in many traditional pre-industrial tribal societies in the wake of interaction with technologically advanced cultures.
This has nothing to do with cargo cult. They are not stupid, uneducated savages. They are people with vision and BIG ideas (something what our western culture is lacking in the last couple of decades)
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It isn't a shuttle. It's a proof of concept aircraft, aka, a glider, to show they can get the aerodynamics right.
Looks absolutely like what it should look like, for what it is. People build backyard gliders all the time.
You're just racist, and refuse to read.
Well, he isn't even close for aerodynamics. Look at that thing and look at your classic glider. See a few differences? If you're looking for something that might have some sort of horizontal movement if dropped off a B52, it's remotely possible that it would not drop straight out of the sky, but I doubt it.
I also don't see the DC3 they're planning on using as the drop ship. Yeah, it's nice to dream, but those acetone fumes are a real bitch.
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I know it is bad form to RTFA, you're only supposed to look at the pictures, but reading the captions at least seems acceptable.
The pictured craft is not the space shuttle, it is an airplane being built for engineering practice.
That said, WTF is with said picture being where the category picture is supposed to be? The Big Taco is gone for one day and they've already trashed the place. If they think this is a news site, I've got news for them; it's a dreadful one!
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Exactly! There is nothing wrong with what they are doing. The air plane is not for going in to space. It's how they will sharpen their skills. Then they will move on. This clean slate method can work. I don't know how long it will take and at some point they will need to procure a lot of fuel and materials but the project is in its planning stage. Good luck to them.
Re:Why the idle? (Score:4, Interesting)
While this may seem a bit far fetched, there is a precedent for a small but determined group of people who I think will eventually be able to get some vehicles above the Kármán line and perhaps even eventually into orbital spaceflight. While not mentioned in the article, these groups have been able to do some impressive things.
The groups I'd compare to this effort include:
My point here is that a small group with limited finances can put stuff together if they care, provided that they make the effort, experiment a whole bunch, and keep working at the issues. The nice thing about all of the above groups is that they've been around for a few years, seem to be pretty stable, and have all flown vehicles of various kinds to prove they are legitimate. These are not groups with pretty power point presentations, but rather folks that have more than a couple smoking craters from experiments gone bad as well as some amazing success stories too. I expect every one of these groups to be above the Kármán line within this next decade, and quite possibly one or two of them could achieve orbit in the next 20-40 years if they stay persistent with their business plans.
I certainly see nothing special about these groups, and it is entirely possible that a group in Uganda could join their ranks in their quest to build a cheap but quality rocket. There are some amazing resources to draw upon as well as a whole bunch of experience. Besides, Uganda doesn't have to deal with ITAR restrictions, so there may even be an advantage for them over some of their competitors.
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Are you just automatically assuming that, because they are in Africa, they have no chance?
Sir, you are a mind reader! How do you do it?
Spiritual sequel to (Score:2)
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Ya, mon.
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Sanka last seen observing local high school science class Egg Drop day with great interest.
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Then, in the sequel.... turns out the gold was really pyrite, and no one had the heart to tell the kids. So they got a free jet trip home, and grew up to make flimsy, unspaceworthy craft - just like their parents. Just so heart warming. And there's a really cute dog involved.
[curtain draws to a close to
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... years from now I can watch about it in movie form...
You already can! [wikipedia.org]
Cardboard boxes (Score:2)
When I was a kid, I used to build shuttles in my living room all the time.
Black NASA (Score:1)
On a related subject, don't miss the Black NASA [youtube.com] documentary.
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The bad part is I understood exactly what he was talking about.
Congo's program is a bit further ahead. (Score:2)
Reminds me of:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troposphere_(rocket_family) [wikipedia.org]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NR97o_FuX-c [youtube.com]
Four to Six years (Score:3)
Maybe they'll beat NASA back to space?
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I think two kids, a wagon and a few bottle rockets could beat NASA back to manned space flight.
Top Gear Top Tip: (Score:3)
http://www.topgear.com/uk/videos/space-robin [topgear.com]
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Had it not failed to separate from the large fuel tank, then they might have had a chance.
The RC Reliant glider model, while not exactly making a smooth landing, wasn't going very fast when it hit the ground.
After the perfect separation of the SRBs you might suspect that it was rigged to fail, for television.
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I was suspicious, too, of the big fireball when it hit the ground. What the heck burned so violently? It should have had no fuel of any kind left at that stage? Or were there boosters that would activate once the tank had separated?
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Getting it into space is one thing.... (Score:3)
and getting it back safely to Earth is another. I wish 'em luck.
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Yeah a reusable shuttle as a first step seems like an unnecessarily massive and risky undertaking...a rocket w/ Apollo-style return module would be a better idea.
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LoB
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Yeah a reusable shuttle as a first step seems like an unnecessarily massive and risky undertaking...a rocket w/ Apollo-style return module would be a better idea.
Looking up some thing in the Estes model rocketry [estesrockets.com] catalog would be a better one.
Who says? (Score:1)
Gravity. That's who.
Dear Sirs (Score:5, Funny)
FROM: Mr. Chris Nsamba
TO: Dear Sirs
Madam:
I have been requested by the African Space Research Programme to contact you for assistance in resolving a matter. The Programme has recently finalized a large number of contracts for space exploration, in time producing moneys equalling US$40,000,000. However, because of certain regulations of the Ugandan Government, it is unable to move these funds to another region.
You assistance is requested as a non-Ugandan citizen in moving these funds out of Uganda. If the funds can be transferred to your name, in your United States account, then you can forward the funds as directed by the African Space Research Programme. In exchange for your accomodating services, you will to retain 10%, or US$4 million of this amount.
Please call me at your earliest convenience. Time is of the essence in this matter; very quickly the Ugandan Government will realize that the Programme will be maintaining this amount on deposit, and attempt to levy certain depository taxes on it.
Yours truly, etc. and so forth.
Chris Nsamba
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lol
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I can help you with that. Send me the money and I'll make sure it gets transfered properly.
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For that kind of money dear sire, you can get half a payload on Falcon 9, and have plenty leftover for kickbacks :)
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LoB
Size & militarism (Score:2)
Who says Uganda is small & peaceful?
Haven't I seen this before? (Score:2)
I can't help but feel this will end up something like Zambia's space programme [youtube.com] from the 60's.
It's a long way to space (Score:3)
I heard... (Score:3)
So that's where the Nigerian 419 money went! (Score:2)
They were covertly funding a space program!
Cargo cult? (Score:2)
This is a joke. (Score:2)
It's far from complete, there's still no engine...
Bah! Details, details.
he's been teaching them how to calculate the distance between planets for example
Why? This thing will be lucky to not fall apart before it reaches the upper atmosphere, let alone travel to another planet.
I asked Chris how he plans to simulate zero gravity: "Easy" he said. "I've got a jet engine on order so I'm planning to build a tunnel, put the engine at one end and when I throw a guy in he'll float in a similar way to how he would in space."
Except for the small fact that you have high velocity air screaming at you and every small movement will change your attitude, direction, etc. due to that wind. And this is the guy in charge.
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well, if he could do it, he'd be building ICBM's for ugandan government.
Hello, Cargo Cult Science (Score:2)
Constructing an imitation of an existing craft (Scaled Composites): check
No engineering, or even basic science, experience: check
No budget: check
No materials: check
Friends of the guy pretending to do work for the reporter: check
It's just a typical African publicity prank/scam, just more ambitious in premise than usual.
Oh crap. (Score:2)
This is just scary" I asked Chris how he plans to simulate zero gravity, for example, in Kampala.
"Easy" he said. "I've got a jet engine on order so I'm planning to build a tunnel, put the engine at one end and when I throw a guy in he'll float in a similar way to how he would in space.""
And come out well done .
Hey if they where trying to launch a satilltite that would be one thing. Build a manned spacecraft like Mercury, maybe. A shuttle? They are out of their minds.
Who launched Captain Alex? (Score:2)
Getting things done (Score:1)