What happened in 2018 and what do I expect from 2019?Tuesday 1/1/19, time 5:19 PM Events in 2018: Virgin Galactic rocket, VSS Unity, made four rocket-powered test flights in 2018. The last of them went up to 83 kilometers in December. In the near future, the rocket will make a flight up to 100 kilometers. So now it looks really good! My biggest own project last year, Rocket-Uno version 3, was completed in early July. In July, the car was on TV twice and in Aamulehti on September! Anywhere the Rocket-Uno goes, it gets even bigger smiles than before. In 2018 I was interviewed twice on television, in “Friday” -program in February and in “Arto Nyberg” -program in September. Both programs were positive experiences for me and now I have enough experience on being on TV. There's no more tension on being on TV. What am I expecting from 2019: In early 2019, Virgin Galactic will make additional test flights. It is quite possible that Branson will make the first commercial flight into space already in the spring of 2019. The flight has six seats and the only confirmed passenger is Richard Branson himself. He has not yet told who the other five passengers are. There will be many persons who would like to be in this historic flight! I expect that I will get invitation from Virgin Galactic to see to see this flight. I personally hope to know the date of my flight before Christmas. It would be the best Christmas present ever. Now, the wait time from years has changed into months. Finally! The great event of 2019 will be the Apollo Gala on July 16, 2019 at the Kennedy Space Center. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the historic moon flight. I go to the gala and see the moon flight veterans. I have not planned any big own projects for 2019. It may be that the tuning of Rocket-Uno continues. I will continue do to all kind all sports as before. |
Merry ChristmasMonday 12/24/18 I have been waiting for my space flight for 8 years. During that time, friends have remembered me on birthdays and Christmas with a lot of space-related gifts. I have received sheets, shirts, cartoons, puzzle, rockets, rocket pencil, greeting cards, as well as a variety of self-made gifts. I am very happy for all of them, I hope, however, that I will not get many gifts anymore. My best present this year was Virgin Galactica's successful flight to space on 13.12.2018. My next year's best gift could be the date of my flight. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year for everyone! Pictures:
Made by Harri Salo
Made by Jasper and her mother
Sheets
Puzzle
Shirt
Rocket
Made by Raisa Kettunen
Rocket pen
Cartoon |
My rocket made a successful test flight into space!Thursday 12/13/18, time 8:46 PM Today it finally happened, VMS Unity made a successful test flight into space! The highest speed was 2.9 times the speed of sound and the rocket engine was burned for 60 seconds. The rocket engine tank was not full yet, so the next flight will certainly go up to 100 km. The flight involved two pilots, Annie -doll and NASA research equipment. Americans space starts from 80 kilometers, so the limit was exceeded by 2 kilometers. The Europeans space starts from100 km. The rocket will soon fly also to Europeans space. This flight was a big thing for Virgin Galactic and I can imagine what kind of party Richard Branson will hold in the evening! Congratulations Richard! And have a couple of drinks for me! I'll have a few drinks tomorrow! Video from the flight. YouTube Picture from space. Picture Virgin Galactic.
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The first space flight is nearWednesday 12/12/18, time 2:07 PM Virgin Galactic has published news (12.12.2018), which tells about tomorrow's test flight (13.12.2018). The purpose of the flight is to fly higher and faster than ever before. The previous test flight in July went to 54 km and the highest speed was 2.47 times the speed of the sound. Virgin Galactic cannot promise that this flight will go to the space yet, but certainly this flight will be close to the space. This is the first time Virgin Galactic tells the day before about the test flight. Usually flights have been reported after the flight. Richard Branson has promised, at least since 2011, that flight to the space will take place before Christmas. Now this promise can be redeemed on Christmas 2018. More information -> Virgin Galactic |
Brycetech site -technical information about satellites and moreSunday 11/25/18, time 9:12 PM I ran into a site called Brycetech with has comprehensive and detailed reports about space industry. The reports are detailed and they are free. The reports show, among other things, that in 2017 almost 500 launches were made to space, most of them satellites. More information-> Bryce reports |
Apollo 50th gala - I am going there!Sunday 11/11/18, time 9:54 PM Apollo flights were made in 1969-1972. Totally six flights were successful and 12 American astronauts walked in the moon. Since 1972 no one has been in the moon. Apollo 11 flight will be 50 years old next summer. I got ticket to gala through Virgin Galactic. At the gala there will several Apollo astronauts. The most famous of them is Buzz Aldrin. If I'm lucky, I can shake his hand:) More info: Apollo 50th gala
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Black rocket-boxers available at shopSunday 10/21/18, time 10:07 PM I got black rocket-boxers for my shop. They are a good gift for Father's Day! Price is 20 EUR. You can order them from my shop.
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The first flight to space is very closeThursday 10/11/18, time 2:58 PM Sir Richard Branson told on Tuesday, October 9, 2018 that Virgin Galactic is a couple of weeks away from the first space flight and he himself flies to space within a few months. Virgin Galactic's previous test flight did fly already to 54 km. The next flight may fly already to space which is 100 km in height. Several test flights must be made before the regular flights to space can be started. Richard has been very optimistic in his statements. I believe that the first flight to space will take place before Christmas 2018 and Richard will fly into space before Christmas 2019. Further information: BBC |
Arto Nyberg showMonday 10/1/18, time 8:59 PM Arto's show was a nice experience. All arrangements went smoothly. We were three different people at the show. Erkki Liikanen, experienced entertainer, Lauri Tilkanen, young actor and me. Erkki told us many fanny stories before and after the program. Awesome man! After the program Erkki did see my Rocket-Uno and he also bought some Rocket Boxers.
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At Arto Nyberg show Sunday 30.09.2018 18:45 TV1Friday 9/28/18, time 9:59 AM I got an invitation to be interviewed by Arto Nyberg on Sunday, September 30, 2018. I'm happy to be interviewed by Arto because I like his program. There are always three different people in the program to talk about very different things. Arto's interview style is calm and he does not try to surprise the interviewer which is done in some other programs. |
Yusaku Maezawa has booked a moon flight for 2023Tuesday 9/18/18, time 3:39 PM The Japanese billionaire and the art collector has booked a moon flight for him and for his 6-8 good artists friends. The flight is organized by SpaceX and the rocket is the Big Falcon Rocket. The rocket has not flown yet, so it will be quite busy schedule to fly around the moon in 2023. It would be rather marvellous if the flight would take place in five years because these projects normally are delayed by years. Yusaku has not yet published his artist friends’ names, so I should probably send him my Rocket-Uno pictures that are almost art! I wish Yusaki good luck for the project! Related links: |
Asteroids and Comets - Inside Out Workshop (ACIO18), Tampere, September 4th-6th 2018Tuesday 9/4/18, time 8:34 PM On Monday morning I gave lectures for 6 grade students about some basics of space. I told who did fly first to the space and who was the first man in the moon. Together we did learn where space begins, in what height the satellites are, how long distance is to the moon or Mars. I had a total of 40 enthusiastic students. I encouraged them to read math, chemistry and physics if they want to be astronauts. In the afternoon I gave an hour lecture for older students about my space own trip. I told about Zero-G flight, the centrifuge as well as other things which I have done to prepare for the future space flight. The asteroid and comet seminar was a nice experience. There is now a small space boom in Finland. More and more companies are now doing their own satellites or participating in space exploring. The picture shows a group of 6 grade pupils by my Rocket-Uno.
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Asteroids and Comets - Inside Out Workshop (ACIO18), Tampere, September 4th-6th 2018Friday 8/31/18, time 10:28 PM There is a four-day seminar at Tampere and I am there Monday. Monday is for schools and there are teachers, researchers and students. The program is then a little lighter than the other days and it is suitable for everyone. My Rocket-Uno is one of the Monday morning workshop targets for schoolchildren. My Uno gets a place in the front of the Vapriikki building! Then surely everyone knows that they are coming to the right place. In the afternoon there are lectures and I will give presentation of how I will prepare for my space flight. Other lecturers come from Ursa, Heureka, Aalto University, RUAG Space Finland and Space Systems Finland. For more information, please see the attachments: |
Mark Stucky - my pilotFriday 8/24/18, time 10:41 PM On August 20, 2018, The New Yorker published a brilliant article on my pilot, Mark Stucky. The article is 58 pages long and tells on his point of view how the Virgin Galactic -project has gone. Mark passion has always been flying and space. The article looks the difficult phases of the project and how they are cleared. No other article has gone through this project so much in details. The most difficult moment was in 2014 when a test flight accident killed Mark's good friend. However, everything has been solved and now Virgin Galactic is really close to the first space flight. This is the best, most comprehensive and most interesting article I've read over Virgin Galactic. I recommend! The New Yorker, Virgin Galactic's Rocket Man Picture: The New Yorker
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VSS Unity made the third rocket-powered testflightThursday 7/26/18, time 11:44 PM My rocket, VSS Unity, made today the third rocket-powered test flight. The flight was VSS Unity's 14th flight and at the same time the 252 flight for VMS Eve. Now VSS Unity went higher and faster than ever. The rocket motor was burned for 42 seconds. VSS Unity went to 54 km and the highest speed was 2.47 times the speed of the sound. The pilots were Dave Mackey and Mike "Sooch" Masucci. They both did enjoy the view :). VSS Unity has now made 3 rocket-powered test flighs in just under 4 months. Now it looks good, Virgin Galactica is a good stage to go. Picture of a flight. Image of Virgin Galactic.
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Shooting for Huomenta Suomi (television)Tuesday 7/24/18, time 10:44 PM On Friday, 13.07.2018, we did shoot a 10-minutes clip for Huomenta Suomi (morning television in Finland) in the center of Helsinki. Mika Tommola interviewed me and my good friend Aki Blomberg was the camera man. The main part of the shootings was the version 3 of the Rocket-Uno:). After the live broadcast we did shoot some more material which came out in Kymmenen Uutiset (news in Finland television). We all had good time when doing shooting. MTV Huomenta Suomi 13.07.2018 10 minutes MTV Kymmenen Uutiset 15.07.2018 2 minutes  |
Interview at Huomenta Suomi (Good Morning Finland)Friday 7/13/18 Mika Tommola will have interview with me and my car at 08:00. Program is Huomenta Suomi at television channel 3. My rocket-car version 3 is now ready and now I can tell to the whole Finland about the hypermotors and other things in my rocket-car:) |
Rocket-Car version 3 is finally readySunday 7/8/18, time 10:07 PM Finally I got my rocket-car version 3 ready. It has a new engine, a new rocket hood and a new rocket door and some other things. This work took 500 hours time, which I did 400 hours and my friends did the rest. Now I am quite happy for my rocket-car. I have plans for version 4, 5, 6 and 7. One new version/year until I go to space. My fried Eerik Lehto did took pictures when it was finally ready July 3rd 2018 at Helsinki. We did drive the car to the hill called Jätemäki in Helsinki to take pictures.
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Stadin Cruising July 6th, 2018 and Rocket-UnoThursday 7/5/18 Stadin Cruising is held once a month in Helsinki. There can be up to 1000 cars in the event if the weather is good. I will go Malmi Airport with Rocket-Uno, version 3, to watch other tuned cars. If I am lucky there might be an another rocket car :).
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Rocket-Uno has now engine in placeSaturday 6/9/18, time 9:54 PM Tuning for Rocket-Uno is now in good speed. Now it has engine in place. The car's theme is a blue-white color that is now also in the engine room. The engine is painted with heat-resistant blue and white paints.
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