Disqus - Latest Comments for MarkusB

Re: "Upgraded" Video of the previous one

MarkusB — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 22:52:13 -0000

Thanks for the updated information. Are you able to get higher concentrated H2O2?

Re: Do I need a voltage converter for this?

MarkusB — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 10:43:53 -0000

Origin: China.
In the last picture I can see an electrostatic generator with two
Leyden jars in the back, and Wes' hair looks like he is connected to it.
TESLA with much apropos:)

Re: Moon Express Mini-Radar Takes Flight - The Prequel

MarkusB — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 09:38:37 -0000

I am looking forward to these 'webisodes'. I will certainly have a lot of questions...
My first question is, the Oshkosh Airshow was between July 25-31, 2011, right?

Re: Testing of Mono Propellants

MarkusB — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 07:33:33 -0000

Groovy music!
Can you tell us more about the concentration of H2O2?
Which catalyst have you used? Silver?

Re: A new rocket fuel? Part 21

MarkusB — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 02:19:03 -0000

I just used some old Chinese newspaper I usually have in stock for some paint jobs.
Wood glue was from Henkel (Pattex).

Re: Composite Spring part 2

MarkusB — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 00:56:42 -0000

Are these not exactly the same videos like here and here?
http://www.googlelunarxpriz...
http://www.googlelunarxpriz...
Or do I mix something up?

Re: A new rocket fuel? Part 21

MarkusB — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 02:37:42 -0000

Igniton was done with an e-match and 1g hexaphenox powder:)

Re: Russian space hotel development underway

MarkusB — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 00:01:14 -0000

I guess the next blog of OM WebMaster will be: "A great blogging opportunity for GLXP teams: http://www.dummies.com/stor..."

Re: Bringing an End to Conspiracy theories?

MarkusB — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 11:46:30 -0000

you hit the nail right on the head

Re: Russian space hotel development underway

MarkusB — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 11:44:55 -0000

Sure there are other opportunities...

Re: A new rocket fuel? Part 20

MarkusB — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 02:03:04 -0000

Hexaphenox is not a sugar or a kind of sugar. Sugar Shot to Space uses a kind of sugar (sorbitol) as a fuel and KNO3 as oxidizer. I am using hexamine as a fuel (mainly because it has a very high energy density (30.0 MJ/kg)). Unfortunately KNO3 works not as an oxidizer, that's why I searched for a suitable catalyst. In the meantime I changed the oxidizer from KNO3 to KClO3. KClO3 is a strong oxidizer and is very sensitive mixed with many fuels. Fortunately a mixture of hexamine/KClO3 is very safe to handle (not sensitive to shock, friction, electrostatic discharge).
Rutan used a hybrid motor. Hybrid motors are interesting if you need to throttle the thrust or switch the engine off and re-ignite it then.
We don't need this for our attempts. Also consider, if the NO2 tank is empty, it getting useless ballast.

Re: The Launch Pad: About the MTA..

MarkusB — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 20:05:19 -0000

I am not sure the MTA 3.0 is "in force", I mean from the legal aspect. I did not receive a counter signed (counter signed by X PRIZE Foundation, Inc. and GLXP, LLC) copy of the agreement till today. This can have several reasons. I am just checking...

Re: A new rocket fuel? Part 18

MarkusB — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 08:14:05 -0000

I have not done thrust and combustion chamber pressure studies now, but will start soon.
The mass of the rocket above was 250g without engines. Every of the 4 engines weighs 23.5g. Stay tuned, there is much more to come:)

Re: Suddenly Moon Express has become the team to beat. On the rocks, with a twist.

MarkusB — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 00:18:38 -0000

Agree completely with you, Wes. It isn't about the money. To buy all the hardware from NASA and go back to the Moon will kick off neither a new space industry nor public interests in my opinion. Imagine, instead of building SpaceShipOne with all its innovations and its unique design they would have been able to purchase a North American X-15. There would have been no or no big public interest or enthusiasm. Folks like the Copenhagen suborbitals or Sugar Shot to Space will kick off new dreams. People do not identify with billionaires, they identify with people like you and me.

Re: A new rocket fuel? Part 17

MarkusB — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 19:54:54 -0000

It would have thrust if I would use a nozzle. This was just a grain burning test.
A first flight using hexaphenox as propellant was already done: http://www.youtube.com/watc...
The substances KClO3, hexamine and epoxy and their health effects are known. Regarding the catalyst, it is carcinogenic in greater amounts.

Re: Bob Richards @ NewSpace 2011: The NewSpace Approach to International Markets

MarkusB — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 11:16:57 -0000

More interesting would be to explain the opportunities of old schoolfriends at the XPF.

Re: The Launch Pad: "X-Files" at the Google Lunar X PRIZE!

MarkusB — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 11:01:48 -0000

Not the only exception --- Team Frednet, no blog from December 03, 2010 to May 03, 2011. Out of compliance over many months, (While suspended, your team will not be included in X PRIZE Foundation public relations announcements) but still mentioned here: http://www.googlelunarxpriz...
Just 7 blogs and less than 43 video minutes from May 03 till today. Normally disqualified but the last video shows Fred fortunately at Moon Express headquarters (http://www.youtube.com/watc.... Call this once more again conspiracy, but the next weeks will tell us more.

Re: The Launch Pad: "X-Files" at the Google Lunar X PRIZE!

MarkusB — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 08:26:44 -0000

Following non-compliance letter has been sent to the XPF today. The one or other team will remember this kind of non-compliance letter text very well:

Dear X Prize Foundation Team,

The purpose of this letter is to inform you that you are currently out of compliance with the requirements of the legal binding MTA 3.0. As stated in the Master Team Agreement (MTA), Version 3.0, Section 3.2.5 X PRIZE Foundation Employees:
X PRIZE Foundation employees and their families may neither participate in, nor have a financial interest in the Google Lunar X PRIZE TEAMs or CRAFTs. Officers and Trustees of the X PRIZE Foundation must comply with the Foundation’s Conflict of Interest policy, which requires that they disclose possible conflicts and recuse themselves from any relevant deliberations or decisions regarding the development of PRIZEs under development or offered by the Foundation in which they may have a direct or indirect financial interest.

XPF has not met one or more of these requirements for 2011. To help your team return to compliance with the MTA, please take the following corrective actions over the next 30 days (by September 5, 2011):

• Alexandra Hall must be discharged from her current position as the new Director of Space Prizes at the X PRIZE Foundation

• Naveen Jain must be discharged from his current position as a member of the board at the X PRIZE Foundation

Once these actions are complete, your team will once again be considered compliant with the X PRIZE Foundation Employees requirements.

If your team does not take the corrective action defined above over the next 30 days, then suspension will follow until compliance is regained in the subsequent 30 days. Additional information and instructions will be sent to you in the event that your team must be suspended for continued non-compliance.

Re: The Launch Pad: "X-Files" at the Google Lunar X PRIZE!

MarkusB — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 02:57:50 -0000

Yes, a team can be disqualified from winning the prize for not meeting terms that aren't core to the goal itself. Therefore the quote "...in the end, the prize will be judged against objective criteria that are already set and by a team of independent judges." is kind of funny.
Your question is in the same time the answer why a competition organzier needs to be neutral. This isn't the annual kid's painting competition of the local bank. In my opinion pretty lame blog to downplay the situation.

Re: The Launch Pad: "X-Files" at the Google Lunar X PRIZE!

MarkusB — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 01:00:15 -0000

Conspiracy theory like we were never on the Moon? Lol.
For your reference --- Quote: "Moon Express chartered the airship owned by Airship Ventures, a company founded in 2007 to offer sight-seeing trips throughout California..."
(http://www.spacenews.com/ve...
Quote: "The company is owned by a husband-wife team, Alexandra and Brian Hall of Los Gatos, California..." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

Just answer these other questions with yes or no. Everybody can decide then by her- or himself it is a conspiracy theory or not...

- Have 3 US based (and two of them awarded NASA contracts) teams (Moon Express, Next Giant Leap and Astrobotic) queried the binding MTA 3.0 and the X Prize Foundation decided to reopen the legal binding agreement to changes but neglected to inform all the other competitors?
- Has the XPF blackmailed other teams to sign the revised MTA 3.2 as written or be booted from the competition?
- Serves Naveen Jain on the Board of the X PRIZE foundation and is in the same time Chairman of Moon Express?

PS: It is a cheek in my opinion to compare critics of the XPF procedure with Apollo moon hoax believers!

Re: Moon Express Chairman Naveen Jain Interviewed on Bloomberg TV

MarkusB — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 09:03:36 -0000

You should write: Naveen Jain, chairman, co-founder of Moon Express Inc. and member of the board of the X Prize Foundation talks about his company's competition for the Google Lunar X PRIZE.

Re: A new rocket fuel? Part 14

MarkusB — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 19:27:48 -0000

I will explain exactly what hexaphenox is after the 1000 USD chemistry competition is over (August 19)

Re: Suddenly Moon Express has become the team to beat. On the rocks, with a twist.

MarkusB — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 04:45:28 -0000

Quote MTA 3.0:

3.2.5 X PRIZE Foundation Employees
X PRIZE Foundation employees and their families may neither participate in, nor
have a financial interest in the Google Lunar X PRIZE TEAMs or CRAFTs.
Officers and Trustees of the X PRIZE Foundation must comply with the
Foundation’s Conflict of Interest policy, which requires that they disclose
possible conflicts and recuse themselves from any relevant deliberations or
decisions regarding the development of PRIZEs under development or offered by
the Foundation in which they may have a direct or indirect financial interest.

Re: Suddenly Moon Express has become the team to beat. On the rocks, with a twist.

MarkusB — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 13:20:59 -0000

That's why ME (The Moon is Bob?) said, every "serious" team is launching after 2014, muahahaha :)
We are launching the first rocket at end of 2011...

Re: What Does the Moon Look Like from Space?

MarkusB — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 09:57:19 -0000

STOP SPAMING, YOUR BEHAVIOR IS ANTISOCIAL! THANKS from all the other GLXP TEAMS!!!
@GLXP STOP to TWITTER that BS!!!!