Lego's in Space - Life IS getting interesting
04-07-12, 02:47 PM
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Lego's in Space - Life IS getting interesting
Tell me somebody else saw this.
A go-pro strapped to a weather balloon carrying a Lego space shuttle goes into space 
This is some cool stuff and I almost felt like I was about 9 again.
This is some cool stuff and I almost felt like I was about 9 again.
04-07-12, 07:12 PM
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LOL OK ........ NOW I've seen it!
Someone with a lot of money was really really bored ...... or NASA is now looking at some pretty serious budget cutbacks ....
Someone with a lot of money was really really bored ...... or NASA is now looking at some pretty serious budget cutbacks ....
04-07-12, 10:42 PM
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I'd be interested in how they actually got the go pro back. I'd bet it would have come down a looonnngg way from where it was launched.
04-08-12, 04:01 AM
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Originally Posted by Flying Merkel
How high did the Legos get?
Originally Posted by krobinson103
I'd be interested in how they actually got the go pro back. I'd bet it would have come down a looonnngg way from where it was launched.
The launch took place from central Germany (easy flight clearance) and reached a max altitude of 35000m. A 1600g meteo balloon filled with helium was used alongside a GoPro Hero, Spot GPS and of course Lego Space Shuttle model 3367.
We launched it on the 31st of December 2011, the equipment was recovered via GPS tracking 240 km S-E from a remote area.
We launched it on the 31st of December 2011, the equipment was recovered via GPS tracking 240 km S-E from a remote area.
Last edited by Seb71; 04-08-12 at 04:06 AM.
04-08-12, 07:39 AM
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Well your are talking about leaving orbit. Many consider breaking the light level the start of space.
04-09-12, 09:02 AM
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Originally Posted by X-LinkedRider
Well your are talking about leaving orbit. Many consider breaking the light level the start of space.
Orbit means your horizontal velocity is great enough so that gravity alone cannot pull you to the surface of the planet. As such, vehicles like balloons do not "reach orbit" because they have no propulsion mechanisms to propel them horizontally. In theory Orbit can be obtained at any altitude, but on Earth anything below 200km or so is highly unstable due to atmospheric drag.
The 100km line is the "Karman line", which almost every country on the planet uses to mark the boundary of outer space, the point at which no winged aircraft is able to maintain altitude due to the atmosphere being too thin. The USA uses 50 miles (80km) which is the boundary between the mesosphere and the thermosphere.
04-09-12, 09:26 AM
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Originally Posted by Mithrandir
Not really. Orbit has nothing to do with altitude. Or more precisely "not much" to do with altitude.
Orbit means your horizontal velocity is great enough so that gravity alone cannot pull you to the surface of the planet. As such, vehicles like balloons do not "reach orbit" because they have no propulsion mechanisms to propel them horizontally. In theory Orbit can be obtained at any altitude, but on Earth anything below 200km or so is highly unstable due to atmospheric drag.
The 100km line is the "Karman line", which almost every country on the planet uses to mark the boundary of outer space, the point at which no winged aircraft is able to maintain altitude due to the atmosphere being too thin. The USA uses 50 miles (80km) which is the boundary between the mesosphere and the thermosphere.
Orbit means your horizontal velocity is great enough so that gravity alone cannot pull you to the surface of the planet. As such, vehicles like balloons do not "reach orbit" because they have no propulsion mechanisms to propel them horizontally. In theory Orbit can be obtained at any altitude, but on Earth anything below 200km or so is highly unstable due to atmospheric drag.
The 100km line is the "Karman line", which almost every country on the planet uses to mark the boundary of outer space, the point at which no winged aircraft is able to maintain altitude due to the atmosphere being too thin. The USA uses 50 miles (80km) which is the boundary between the mesosphere and the thermosphere.
04-09-12, 11:21 AM
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Originally Posted by X-LinkedRider
This is all correct. You are referring Outer space. I was just saying the damn lego made it higher than anyone without a space shuttle is making it. That is pretty cool.
Last edited by AndreyT; 04-09-12 at 12:08 PM.
04-09-12, 12:13 PM
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Originally Posted by X-LinkedRider
Well your are talking about leaving orbit.
In any case, orbital flight is a matter of speed and speed only. Altitude is just a consequence of that speed. The only reason orbital flight is performed at space altitudes is that the absence of any notable atmosphere makes it easy to maintain the necessary speed.
Originally Posted by X-LinkedRider
Many consider breaking the light level the start of space.
Last edited by AndreyT; 04-09-12 at 12:38 PM.
04-09-12, 01:17 PM
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Originally Posted by X-LinkedRider
This is all correct. You are referring Outer space. I was just saying the damn lego made it higher than anyone without a space shuttle is making it. That is pretty cool.
But it's just not space.
