http://www.jpaerospace.com/

It is a great video, but that's because of the content ... so don't quit your day job to become a movie producer.

Like the song. Agree with Desertbadger on the video.

I have to join DesertBadger (Robin) and Marshall on this one

Drat, I was hopeing to give Speiberg and Lucas a run for their money....

back to carbon layups for me....

JP

McFee, a noted author, wrote "The Deltoid Pumpkinseed," so perhaps you could interest him in a re-release using ATO concepts or some other tie in.

Hi, JPowell,

I've been watching your team's progress for quite a while now, and just recently found this forum.

I have a question as to the latest update on the JP website (10/11/05): How much better than a bicycle brake does your braking system for A28 handle the low temperatures at high altitudes? Is that something you've tested, or is it not forseen to be able to cause any problems?

- JD

IDK... The Deltoid Pumkin Seed is such a cautionary tale. I'd go with Ed Regis, ala Great Mambo Chicken and the Transhuman Condition.

Most of the testing for Away 28 will happen in the first 30,000 feet before it get really cold. However, bicycle parts do work suprising well in extreme cold and vacuum environments. The trick is using the proper lubrication.

JP

www.jpaerospace.com

Thanks, JP! I had wondered about that. I'm eagerly looking forward to A28, as I'm sure y'all are too!

-JD

I'm posting a photo series on the JPA website about making a typical carbon part. Each day as I get more done on the component I'll put us the new pics.

Let me know if this is cool or very lame.

JP

www.jpaerospace.com

(it under the update log section)

Just read your entry for the plug you are making. I must admit to not looking in on your site to often but you've hooked me, I like to see stuff actually being built and the problems that people have to overcome.

Seems like the construction resembles the model gliders I made as a kid. I have used expanding foam filler in the past and found that with large areas the stuff dosent always cure evenly resulting in hard lumps would this be a problem when you shape the plug?

Why not use a hot wire cutter to scoop the plug out of a piece of polystyrene. I made one of these a while back to shape packing pieces for some delicate equipment. Bend the profile you need using resistance wire and mount it on a board with an arm to act as a pivot to create your arc. Connect the wire to a variable dc power supply (preferably with a current limit) and heat it up. Next invert it and swing across a polystyrene sheet to create a plug.

If you dont have a big enough block of polysyrene you could alway glue smaller ones together in the approximate shape you need. Not sure whether this would be a suitable method to create an accurate plug but it seems less labour intensive. Just my $0.02 worth, I'm prepared to hear all the obvious reasons why its such a lame idea that I've overlooked.

Hello, jpowell,

the .pdf at the homepage is telling that the prototype of the engine of the ATO has been going to have a testflight at 30 km altitude in October 2005.

Can you tell if that flight happened or is pushed into the future or is that a secret? The information has been mentioned at this board several times.



Dipl.-Volkswirt (bdvb) Augustin (Political Economist)

The engine on the Away mission flight is not final ATO engine. Electrical propulsion of all types require a complex inferstructure for remote ops. The engine we're using for the first mission is a placer holder for the advanced system. It has all the problems, but not the performance nor the cost. It's just what's needed for the first run at this.

We have spent so much time and money on scrubbed missions in the desert due to wind. When your standing in the desert with the team, equipment and rental trucks you've spent the budget even if you don't fly. We dropped a big wind mitigation project into middle of the schedule to see if we can fix this.
Everything has been pushed back about a year, but I think it will pay off in the long run. On Away 27 we will be testing all wind launches for the small stuff and the new airship, (specificly designed and built for this problem), should not care about the wind at launch at all.

Good question. It was good to get an answer too, even if it's not the one we wanted.



I guess I should have paid for that t-shirt.

Andy:"If you dont have a big enough block of polysyrene you could alway glue smaller ones together in the approximate shape you need. Not sure whether this would be a suitable method to create an accurate plug but it seems less labour intensive. Just my $0.02 worth, I'm prepared to hear all the obvious reasons why its such a lame idea that I've overlooked. "

I use the hot wire when I have a part that have a single curve in it. When there's a compound curve I like to do a build up. You can do compound curves with a hot wire, but the set up time for making a good rotating jig for the wire can make it not worth it.

There's no getting around a lot of filling and sanding for either way.
The up shot is both methods work. For this part I thought the rib and foam would be better, but you never know.

JP

www.jpaerospace.com