My own rocketsTuesday 2/28/17, time 6:56 PM While I am waiting for my trip, I did join to the Finnish Space Exploration Society. There I learned how to make and how to launch safely my own model rockets. I did launch my own rockets last Sunday and I had a lot of fun. I've done two rockets, Jupiter and Gazelle. Jupiter is a small rocket and Gazelle is bigger. Video from Gazelle launch at winter Video from Jupiter launch at summer Picture from Gazelle launch 26.02.2017.
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VSS Unity made third glide flightSaturday 2/25/17, time 5:04 PM Virgin Galactic test program continues. My rocket, VSS Unity, made third glide flight 24/02/2017. All went well. Richard Branson was on the spot when the flight was done. The pilots were Dave Mackay and CJ Sturkow. They also may be my pilots.
Photo: Todd Ericsson |
Wife Carrying World Championship, Sonkajärvi, Finland, July 1stSaturday 2/18/17, time 8:48 PM While I am waiting for the flight, I will do a variety of things related to the flight or thigs just for fun. I visited the place of departure, Spaceport America, in 2011. Zero-G flight and centrifuge were tested in 2013. In 2014 I did walk 100 km. Then I tuned my Rocket-Uno during the winter 2015-2016. In summer 2016 I shot my own miniature rockets into the sky and joined to The Finnish Space sociaty. Video youtube
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Neil Armstrong biographyMonday 1/30/17, time 6:15 PM I red Neil Armstrong biography, "A life of flight." I have red a few books of astronauts, and this was definitely the best one of them. The book tells Neil's story, which is quite amazing. He could have been killed several times before the historical flight to the moon. He was certainly the right man to step on the moon surface first. Neil was a steel-nerved pilot and modest personality. The book also tells the history of space flights since 1950s to the moonflights. I recommend to read it for all!
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What happened in 2016 and what I am waiting for in 2017?Sunday 1/1/17 Virgin Galactic project achieved significant progress in 2016. The new rocket was presented 20.02.2016 and it was given the name VSS Unity. In December, two glide flights were made, so the project is progressing after a quiet stage. More glide flights will come and at some point rocket-powered test flights will begin. However, I do not think that in 2017 the flights will go to the space yet. |
Second glide flight is doneWednesday 12/28/16, time 8:57 PM VSS Unity made the second glide flight 22.12.2016. All went well. |
Virgin Galactic LondonSunday 12/18/16, time 12:24 PM I went to London 13.12. to attend Virgin Galactic meeting. It was England's meeting and there were mostly people from England. The meeting was nice and it was good to see the other passengers again. Nigel Henbest, who is 'Esko Valtaoja' for England, was also there. He had just come from the South Pole. He made the trip together with Buzz Aldrin. I can take one fried to these meeting and I went to London with Erik Lehto.
Picture: Vesa and Nigel. I want to make some fun so I did color my beard to be two colors. More info from Nigel -> wikipedia. |
Successful first glide flight test for VSS UnitySunday 12/4/16, time 10:42 AM The new rocket, VSS Unity, made it's first glide flight. All went well. The flight time was 10 minutes. The next actions are to analyse data of the flight and prepare for the next glide flights. More information -> Virgin Galactic
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The next is glide flightSaturday 11/5/16, time 6:01 PM Rocket number two has now made several flights attached under its mothership. Now Virgin Galactic have made enough these flighs so that the next step is to do glide flight. Then the rocket is dropped about 15 km altitude and it will glide back to the aipport. These flights are needed maybe ten, after which rocket-powered test flights can be started. The first glide flight was planned to happen Nov 1, 2016 but it was cancelled due to strong wind. More info-> Space.com |
Space helmet television Philips DiscovererSaturday 10/29/16, time 10:59 AM Philips made a space helmet television in the 1980s. It is the shape of a helmet and it has a visor. I found it in Finland after few years of searching, and now it's got a place of honor in my home. It can be connected to a DVD player and I can watch space-themed movies on it.
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Rocket-Uno at Lahti Car Show!Monday 10/3/16, time 8:51 PM Rocket-Uno was at American Car Show Lahti. It got plenty of smiles:)
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Rocket-Uno goes to car show in Lahti!Monday 9/19/16, time 9:01 PM Rocket-Uno goes 01-02.10.2016 to car show in Lahti. This is the biggest car event in Finland in this autumn. Rocket-Uno is inspected and polished for the show. See you in Lahti! More info -> X-treme.fi
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The new rocket has completed the first test flightSunday 9/11/16, time 11:47 AM The new rocket , VSS Unity , flew for the first time September 9th, 2016. There was nearly two-year break in the test flights, but now we are back in business. The flight lasted 3 hours 43 minutes and all went well. In this flight, the rocket was attached under WhiteKnightTwo, so the rocket did not fly yet with it's own. More information: -> Virgin Galactic |
VSS Unity Taxi TestFriday 8/26/16, time 10:28 PM The new rocket, VSS Unity, testing continues. At the moment it was only taxing at runway, but soon it will fly. |
Virgin Galacic got permission to start test flights to spaceTuesday 8/2/16, time 10:00 PM Virgin Galactic got permission to start test flights to space August 1st, 2016 . Flights will begin with rocket number two . Rocket number one was destroyed in October 2014 , so there has been nearly two -year break for test flights. Now Virgin Galactic makes tests on the ground. Flights will begin in the near future , but the exact date has not yet been announced. For more information : Link |
Tim Korpa at HeurekaSunday 5/29/16, time 5:59 PM Tim Kopra appeared via satellite Heureka 27/05/2016. He has been now 5 months on the ISS, and he has 1 month left. This is his second spaceflight, the first was in 2009 and lasted for two months. Tim answered half an hour to our questions and he also amuzed us to e.g. doing somersault and playing with water. The event was absolutely fantastic! The idea had come from Kopralta himself three weeks ago. Thank for Heureka arrangements! Kopra visited Heureka in 2010 and he wants to come again to Finland. Perhaps we will meet in 2017 Heureka!
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My first own rocket is launched!Sunday 5/22/16, time 10:35 PM Today I did launch my own rocket toward the sky. Jupiter rocket is 38 cm long and easy to build. While I am waiting for my big flight to space, I decided to learn how to build small rockets. I went to a scale model rocket course orginized by the Finnish Space Research Society and now I have knowledge of these rockets. It is fun to build these rockets! More info the Finnish Space Research Society Video from Jupiter rocket launch-> youtube
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Diving at ÅlandSaturday 5/7/16, time 11:34 PM While I am waiting for my space flight I do important things for me. In early May I was diving at Åland with diving trip organized by Suomalainen Sukelluskoulu. We did dive to several wrecks and did like most Skiftet, Plus, Sanny and Fortuna. When you are diving you are close to weightless feeling and the sight might be like from another planet. Picture from Sanny.
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Pictures from American Car ShowSaturday 4/2/16, time 10:48 PM American Car Show was a nice experience. My Rocket-Uno got a lot of smiles:) I made two albums: |
Pictures from American Car ShowSaturday 4/2/16, time 10:48 PM American Car Show was a nice experience. My Rocket-Uno got a lot of smiles:) I made two albums: |
