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Space Science

Volunteers Needed for Space Launch 122

Posted by michael from the leave-a-sign-on-your-door-that-just-says-out-to-launch dept.
BradNeuberg writes "The Ansari X Prize needs volunteers to help at the Scaled Composites and da Vinci Project's launch attempts in the next few months! I've digitized and created BitTorrent's of an Ansari X Prize video that is pretty cool and can tell you more about what we are doing. Want to be a volunteer? Sign up here. I've also set up a carpool and rideshare list for those who can offer or want a ride down to Mojave, CA to see history made."
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Volunteers Needed for Space Launch More

Volunteers Needed for Space Launch

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  • How do I sign up for a ride? (Score:5, Funny)

    by gevmage ( 213603 ) * on Friday September 10, 2004 @05:01PM (#10216595) Homepage
    I looked at the volunteer page. They want people to deal with crowd control, ticketing, hospitality, etc. Where's the check box for "I'd like to ride into space"!?!

  • Hmmmm... (Score:5, Funny)

    by BalorTFL ( 766196 ) on Friday September 10, 2004 @05:02PM (#10216620)
    I can think of a few ppl I'd like to volunteer for a trip into space... What's that? Round-trip you say? Bah! Nevermind.

  • What's the problem with volunteering? (Score:3, Insightful)

    by SunSaw ( 700981 ) on Friday September 10, 2004 @05:02PM (#10216621)

    If you can't play in the Super Bowl then why not get a great view of the action!
    • If they wait that long, by then they'll have lost the X Prize...

      • If they wait that long, by then they'll have lost the X Prize...

        I assume you've only read the first sentence, "This summer the world will witness the first attempts to win the ANSARI X PRIZE."
        But they're going to launch on September 29th, 2004 and the second flight will be 2 weeks later, October 13th, 2004.

        It's not next summer, I don't know why they're talking about summer, because by the date of the first official flight, we'll have fall. However, it's just 3 weeks from now, I'm sure they'll be the fir

  • Wasn't history already made? (Score:4, Insightful)

    by ravenspear ( 756059 ) on Friday September 10, 2004 @05:03PM (#10216625)
    I mean, the winning of the X Prize will certainly be a significant event in the privatization of access to space, but the first private flight already took place, which is very significant in itself.
    • I mean, the winning of the X Prize will certainly be a significant event in the privatization of access to space, but the first private flight already took place, which is very significant in itself.

      I don't think the history was made. When private space flight will orbit the Earth then it will indeed be a historical even, but for now it is not. Remember however that difficulties to get to the orbit will grow exponentially.
      • I agree for the most part. A 100km flight is a long way from orbit. I guess what I was mainly saying was I don't think the actual flight that wins the XPrize will be much more significant in a historical context than the one that already took place. They are both certainly small pudding compared to what is to come though.
        • I guess what I was mainly saying was I don't think the actual flight that wins the XPrize will be much more significant in a historical context than the one that already took place. They are both certainly small pudding compared to what is to come though.

          I was not trying to downplay what this guys are doing, just point out to what you just said, that what is left out is much much harder than what they did up until now. I wish them good luck and hope they can make it at some point in the future to the orbi

  • Bah (Score:2)

    by mfh ( 56 )
    Want to be a volunteer? Sign up here.

    They might *need* crowd control. *cringes*

  • Checks the "porta-john patrol" box......... (Score:5, Funny)

    by ARRRLovin ( 807926 ) on Friday September 10, 2004 @05:04PM (#10216631)
    OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH I hope they email me back!

  • Future Dates? (Score:5, Interesting)

    by ackthpt ( 218170 ) * on Friday September 10, 2004 @05:04PM (#10216632) Homepage Journal
    How cool! Mojave is on the way to Death Valley where I'll be going on vacation in a couple months. It would be spifftacular to stop by there to help out, though the only date I saw on the sign up was Sept 29th, which is too soon.

    When in the neighborhood be sure to check out the huge wind farm on the western side of the Tehachapi Pass, the Tehachapi Loop [tehachapi.com] and all the mothballed aircraft parked outside of Mojave. There's also camping up at Red Rock Canyon State Park (a great place to watch for meteor showers =)

    • You like DV, too? I frickin' love that place. I'll be there for the fourth time (fourth year in a row) in November. Have you gone over to the racetrack (where the sliding rocks are)? Well worth the trek (I recommend you use a rental 4x4, and make sure your spare tire is up to pressure. The rangers recommend you have two spares, actually, because often what causes the flat will get both tires on that side. But double spares isn't really a rental option. I had no problems, incidentally, just telling yo

  • Positions (Score:1, Funny)

    by Fiz Ocelot ( 642698 )
    "I would like to work in the following area(s): ticketing parking traffic control crowd control information booth hospitality"

    But where the hell is pilot?!


  • ...or pull on the catapult's ropes?

    • Damn, you've just given me ideas. I hate when that happens. I think I'll name my craft the "Wile E.".

      Film at 11. Don't let the kids see it. It won't be pretty; and it might give them ideas.

      KFG

  • "The Ansari X Prize needs volunteers" (Score:5, Funny)

    by idontgno ( 624372 ) on Friday September 10, 2004 @05:09PM (#10216681) Journal
    What, ballast?

  • Didn't see a checkbox for "BIG RED BUTTON" pusher (Score:5, Funny)

    by IronChefMorimoto ( 691038 ) on Friday September 10, 2004 @05:10PM (#10216694)

    I totally understand that volunteers can't fly on the actual flight.

    But can ya open up a few "BIG RED BUTTON" pusher slots? I mean -- there's gotta a be a few "BIG RED BUTTONS" to push.

    I'm your man for the following "BIG RED BUTTON" volunteer spots:

    • LAUNCH button
    • ABORT button
    • EJECTOR SEAT button (a backup to the ABORT button)
    • APPLAUSE button ('cause loser media types in audience won't know to clap when everything goes right)
    • WARP DRIVE button (I know they've got a surprise up their sleeves -- I just know it)
    • "CUT OFF MEDIA SATELLITE FEED IF SOMETHING GOES HORRIBLY WRONG" button ('cause loser media types also know how to go apeshit when something goes wrong)

    I look forward to applying for volunteer status on one of these "BIG RED BUTTONS." In the meantime, good luck!

    IronChefMorimoto

  • Shouldn't this be left for the pros? (Score:4, Insightful)

    by LostCluster ( 625375 ) * on Friday September 10, 2004 @05:12PM (#10216715)
    These things are being done in the unpopulated desert areas of the USA for a very specific reason... if these things misfire they want as few people and things in the area. Afterall, we just saw NASA drop a space probe they were hoping to catch, and nobody was in any danger because they intentionally did the operation over an unpopulated desert because landing into a creator in the sand was a very tolerable worst-case situation.

    Crowd control shouldn't be an issue. There should be no crowds to begin with... let's watch these things from a safe distance here on /. instead.

  • Damn! (Score:5, Funny)

    by Paster Of Muppets ( 787158 ) on Friday September 10, 2004 @05:12PM (#10216717)
    Checklist:Got life insurance (limited term), travel insurance (possibly leaving the country's borders), vehicle insurance (protects it against bumps and dents on the way down). Damnit, I can't be the pilot after all. Still, parking attendant could be a dangerous job...

  • I would totally (Score:2, Redundant)

    by roman_mir ( 125474 )
    volunteer to be the ballast in the space-ship, but they need someone to park their cars

  • Requirements? (Score:5, Funny)

    by AnonymousKev ( 754127 ) on Friday September 10, 2004 @05:14PM (#10216738)
    Do they want folks who do well or crack under pressure? :)

  • da Vinci launch as well? (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Drakonian ( 518722 ) on Friday September 10, 2004 @05:15PM (#10216748) Homepage
    The Slashdot blurb mentions both SpaceShipOne and the da Vinci (Golden Palace?) launch needed volunteers. But the page linked seems to only talk about the SS1 launch. Do you sign up to volunteer for the da Vinci launch here as well?

    I ask because it's relatively close to me. It's in Kindersley, Saskatchewan.

    • Yea and the da Vinci launch should be much more fun to watch seeing as it's more likely to blow up.
      • The type of rocket motor used on SS1 pretty much precludes it blowing up from a fuel induced explosion. The fact that it's an aerodynamic structure, with wings etc, gives it a much higher probability of coming apart in flight due to stresses on the airframe. SS1 is not Rutan's first attempt at a supersonic airframe, it's just the first one that hasn't come apart in flight and killed it's crew (yet). Google for BD-10 flight test accidents to see what happened to his last supersonic design. The feathering

  • I know some people... (Score:5, Funny)

    by ultramk ( 470198 ) <ultramk@noSPAm.pacbell.net> on Friday September 10, 2004 @05:18PM (#10216778)
    I know some people who I would like to volunteer for this project... ...so, if I drop them off in a few gunny sacks on launch day, will that work?

    If they make any noise or anything, just ignore them. Bunch of kidders... hehe.

    m-

  • Can I nominate someone else? (Score:4, Funny)

    by Concerned Onlooker ( 473481 ) on Friday September 10, 2004 @05:20PM (#10216790) Homepage Journal
    cat foes > nominations.txt

  • You'd think with that money for the big prize (Score:3)

    by SetupWeasel ( 54062 ) on Friday September 10, 2004 @05:23PM (#10216814) Homepage
    They could afford to PAY people for doing their dirty work.
  • The best astronauts are found drilling for oil in the North Sea, or some other inhospitable location. It's been stamped with Billy Bob Thornton's approval.
  • space lunch....

  • Da Vinci Project Rocket (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Slurms ( 144553 ) on Friday September 10, 2004 @05:27PM (#10216847) Journal
    I would like to see some pictures of the rocket that the Da Vinci Project actually expects to launch in less than a month.

    The pictures I see on their site just seem to be a fibreglass and plywood mockup from last year. At least I hope it's a mockup.

    Maybe fibreglass is tougher stuff than I think it is, and maybe it will behave better than I think will under accelleration at low atmospheric pressures.

    But then I'm am not a rocket scientist, but I do play doctor when given the opportunity.
    • Actually, fiberglass is quite strong. If you lay fiberglass over styrafoam, you get "composite" material, which is the construction method for pretty much everything Burt Rutan builds. (Voyager, White Knight, SpaceShip One, and the Beech Starships).

      To say nothing of the various kit plan designs that are composites.

      • I thought I read early on that SpaceShip One has a aluminum "pressure vessel" inside the fibreglass shell.

        Naturally I can't find a reference now.

      • Uh, buddy, Rutan is using carbon fiber composites, not fiberglass over foam (which is what my surfboard is made of, and as much air as I like to catch using it, I'm not going for the X-Prize). Fiberglass is not a suitable material for building air/spacecraft (although you can include it in certain non/low-stress components).
        • Fiberglass is fairly popular as the primary component in aircraft construction for general aviation and experimental aircraft.

          See:
          - Glasair/Glastar
          - Cozy Mk IV
          - Vari-EZ and Long-EZ (couple of Rutan's designs; he has several others that all use composite fiberglass construction.)
          - Quickie
          - Cirrus SR20

          Those are just a few that I can think of right now. There are dozens of others.

          I would imagine that the spacecraft is built with mostly carbon though. It's stronger than fiberglass and can be built lighter.
    • ...but I do play doctor when given the opportunity.

      And the last opportunity was how many years ago?

  • They need volunteers guys (Score:5, Informative)

    by Teahouse ( 267087 ) on Friday September 10, 2004 @05:29PM (#10216855)
    I was there earlier this year when they launched SS1, and there were about 30,000 people standing around, and that was just a "test" flight. I have already signed up for one of these thankless jobs because I can't imagine how big this crowd will be 45k, 60k? Seriously, of you can spare two days to do it, it would go a long way to help I think.

  • not like any other gathering. (Score:5, Interesting)

    by deathcloset ( 626704 ) on Friday September 10, 2004 @05:29PM (#10216860) Journal
    they will need the help, but not so much as other events of similar size.

    I was present at the first SpaceShipOne manned spaceflight and I must say, the whole experience was so unique.

    I've been to many large events/gatherings and I must say that the crowd that gathered for that launch was remarkable: unusual.

    Probably the most obvious indicator that this was no ordinary crowd was the state of the portable bathrooms: they were spotless.

    Go to any concert and the sanitary conditions of those things is horrific; but here there was nary a corner of toilet tissue on the floor.

    Which brings me to the second observation: no litter. There was, seriously, no litter. Even in my extraordinarily beleaguered state I was taken aback at how spotless everything was as the crowd dispersed following the landings.

    Another observation of note, the din: there was none. Not that one would expect hooting and hollering of Metallicaesqe magnitude; nevertheless the noise level was so peaceful you could close your eyes and almost believe it was you and a few dozen others - not thousands (well, at least until Paul Allen started speaking inaudibly over the loudspeaker).

    Of course this state of pax may have been partially attributed to the fact that so many of us were running on fumes at that time of the morning, after having driven whatever distances we drove (myself 6 hours, northern cali).

    And of particular note, the decency. I recall seeing a group of onlookers gladly making room for an elderly gentleman - right at the nylon rope meters from the runway. these half-dozen camera-wearing men simply picked up their chairs and created a spot. those around the perimeter gladly scooted a few feet to allow for this.

    For a moment I thought how wonderful it would be to have a society consisting completely of people like this: a veritable techocratic utopia.

    and then I wondered, why aren't all societies like this right now?

    • Re:not like any other gathering. (Score:4, Insightful)

      by ptbarnett ( 159784 ) on Friday September 10, 2004 @06:10PM (#10217188)
      Which brings me to the second observation: no litter. There was, seriously, no litter. Even in my extraordinarily beleaguered state I was taken aback at how spotless everything was as the crowd dispersed following the landings.

      I've never been to the annual Experimental Aircraft Association fly-in to Oshkosh, WI (in August), but this is one of its distinctive features: the grounds are spotless.

      Articles written by attendees almost always include this observation, and I've read several that reported seeing litter discarded by a thoughtless visitor scooped up and deposited in the trash by another visitor only a few steps behind the offender.

      I've noticed the same phenomena at the Albuquerque Balloon Festival, once you get away from the concession stands.

      Maybe it's has something to do with the kind of people that are aviation fanatics.

      • One of the reasons aviation fanatics are very good about trash is the constant warnings around airfields about FOD (Foreign Object Damage). You get a bit of trash sucked into an engine (and most engines will suck up any trash available), and you have one unfortunate pilot.
      • Articles written by attendees almost always include this observation, and I've read several that reported seeing litter discarded by a thoughtless visitor scooped up and deposited in the trash by another visitor only a few steps behind the offender. It seems there is hope for humanity after all. :-)
    • Which brings me to the second observation: no litter.

      Contrast this to the Reno Air Races. It's been a few years since I have gone, but the last time I was there I was behind the bleacher seats for a short while. There was an endless stream of trash falling from above, at least one piece every few seconds it seemed. The paper cups were especially easy to notice, as they make a distinctive sound as they bounce off the asphault.

      I remember thinking at the time, "what a bunch of [expletive] pigs!"
    • For a moment I thought how wonderful it would be to have a society consisting completely of people like this: a veritable techocratic utopia. and then I wondered, why aren't all societies like this right now?

      Because any such society is doomed to be extinct. You can't procreate if none of the members are having sex. J/K.

    • Which brings me to the second observation: no litter. There was, seriously, no litter.

      and on the other end of the spectrum, we have any Southern California public park after a Cinco de Mayo holiday...

      makes me sick.

  • Missing Options: (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 10, 2004 @05:32PM (#10216882)
    Volunteer for the following positions:

    1) The "Are We There Yet?" guy.
    2) The Vulcan foam hand thingy vendor (what, like there won't be any trekkers in the audience)
    3) The dude that calibrates the "Chairhead" on the moon laser.
    4) The guy that ports their system software to Linux
    5) The SCO volunteer paralegal that charges volunteer for #4 $699
    6) The guy that yells "BOOM!!!" at random intervals.
    7) The guy that beats #6 to a pulp

  • For those who've never volunteered (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 10, 2004 @05:37PM (#10216928)
    Volunteering for this kind of stuff makes the experience several magnitude more enjoyable. I know it's not the most logical thing, but by participating even just a little bit, you get a much bigger sense of being "part of it".

    I speak from experience. For years I'd attend events and snicker at the poor volunteers who had to stand around in the sun and who missed half the show. But then I started doing it myself and I'm hooked. It's ten times better to be part of the show than to watch the show.
  • that Jake Busey [imdb.com] would like to volunteer for this mission. You might also know him as Joseph. [google.ca]

  • Volunteers? At $35 per car hire somebody! (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Greg@RageNet ( 39860 ) on Friday September 10, 2004 @06:02PM (#10217139) Homepage
    Really! I paid less for a ticket to the last concert I attended, which was a per profit enterprise and everyone who worked it got paid. Most events I've attended where they've had to park cars it was a more reasonable $4-8 per car to pay for parking attendants. I attended the last launch and parking was _free_. I do think they should attempt to cover their costs for crowd control on the launch but I think $35 is outragous and then to have the nards to ask for volunteer labor? Hah!

    -- Greg
    • I attended the last launch and parking was _free_.

      Don't know how you finagled free parking. Everyone else paid a minimum of $10 to park.

      Nonetheless, when I saw the $35 fee I thought that perhaps they were spending the money on improving the viewer's experience. The sound system last June was lousy - even though the crowd was fairly quiet, you still couldn't hear what was on the PA system. When you got right next to one of the few speakers littered around the parking lot, you got to hear a local politician

  • Ok you got me, I will push the big "red" button.
    • See this button? Don't touch it !! It's the History Eraser Button, you fool!

      --so what'll happen ?

      That's just it! We don't know. Maybe something bad, maybe something good. I guess we'll never know. Cause you're going to guard it. You won't touch it, will you?

      Oh, how long can trusty Cadet Stimpy hold out?
      How can he possibly resist the diabolical urge to push the button that could erase his very existence?

      Will his tortured mind give in to it's uncontrollable desires? Can he withstand the temptation to push

  • dicey (Score:3, Funny)

    by Doc Ruby ( 173196 ) on Friday September 10, 2004 @06:16PM (#10217221) Homepage Journal
    I'd love to see their insurance rider.

  • Asteroid Toutatis flyby that day (Score:5, Interesting)

    by RobertB-DC ( 622190 ) * on Friday September 10, 2004 @06:24PM (#10217280) Homepage Journal
    When I went to put the date on my calendar (not like I'll make it, but I can dream), I noticed that September 29 is also the date that earth-crossing asteroid Toutatis [wsu.edu] is scheduled to make its closest approach to Earth. The bizarrely-shaped object is the size of a "small city" [space.com] (whatever that means), and is due to get no closer than four times the earth-moon distance.

    According to the wsu.edu page: 'Toutatis (also called Teutates) was an ancient Celtic god of war, fertility and wealth worshipped in Gaul. His name means "the god of the tribe".' His name is invoked regularly by the French cartoon character Asterix, who also fears that the sky will fall on his head.

    Certainly an auspicious day for anyone interested in the heavens. Let's hope what's already up stays up, and what goes up comes down safely.

  • If somebody has to do it... (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Mulletproof ( 513805 ) on Friday September 10, 2004 @07:56PM (#10217862) Homepage Journal
    Volunteers Needed for Space Launch!

    ...Well, not that you'll really have anything to do with the launch itself. But you can take tickets. Maybe do some crowd control. Oh, and don't forget my latte. Fact is, we're next to broke, so instead of hiring professionals, we're hiring you and will be keeping that 10 million for ourselves. That's fair, right? After all, you're a part of history, directing traffic and all that.

    • define:altruism [google.ca]

      I am neither a cad designer, nor an aerospace engineer, and cannot help build the DaVinci project (almost entirely volunteer driven). But I'm considering taking a few days off work*, and driving for 14 hours to go to Kindersley, and, if they need volunteers for traffic control or whatever, helping out.

      *depending on whether I can finish writing the 3 overdue reports sitting on my desk first


  • I'd volunteer for Carmack's enterprize -- it just seems so much cooler than the rest of them. Even though it's probably the most dangerous of these rides, and I don't think they have a plan about how to go about landing yet. There is something unbelievably cool about riding up into space on top of a $30,000 fiberglass tank full of peroxide. By comparison the $20M finely crafted rubber rocket just doesn't cut it. It's too expensive, and it doesn't have this garage-built sense to it that makes it all fun.
  • Have no fear, have no fear, you will be killed right away.
  • Welcome our volunteering overlords.
  • Good work on your bittorrent link for that movie. Seems finally some posters are waking up to technology that prevents slashdotting. Nice try for the theora to java people but the movie still played slowly without sound. (mabye its my old computer but i don't think so). So, when is bit torrent going to be ported to java? (yes I know what azueraus is but it dosen't work from within a browser) BitTorrent needs to come to the browser and when it does I will be even more happy.

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