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BALLS 17 Experimental Rocket Competition, In Photographs
Posted by Mark Wilson at 2:45 AM on October 7, 2008
"BALLS 17 is a venue for projects that should NOT be flown publicly due to safety and legal restrictions. This may include, but is not limited to, LARGE rockets, complex staging or clustering, metal rockets, self designed and/or fabricated rocket motors and new technologies being developed or proven."
That's the disclaimer on the BALLS Experimental Rocket Launch website. Their 17th annual meeting just concluded in Nevada's Black Rock Desert where at least one rocket cracked 70,000 feet. Many others had successful flights. And some just blew up. Photography by Erik Charlton. See more of his fantastic shots from the event here. [via MAKE]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
ripfire
Posted 4:13 AM 7/10/08
@johnnyabnormal: If you look at their website, I don't think they're trying to be all that subtle.
ripfire
johnnyabnormal
Posted 4:08 AM 7/10/08
This headline is just begging to be made fun of.
johnnyabnormal
ripfire
Posted 4:05 AM 7/10/08
It's also a display that Rocket Science is really, really tough!
ripfire
Git Em SteveDave loves this guy-->
Posted 3:55 AM 7/10/08
All ahead 2/3, rudder amidships, zero bubble, steady two-seven-zero, BALLS TO THE WALL, BOYS!
Git Em SteveDave loves this guy-->
Numerous
Posted 4:27 AM 7/10/08
Hehe, "balls."
That said, home-made rockets? I approve.
Numerous
strider_mt2k
Posted 4:15 AM 7/10/08
Some nice photographs in there!
strider_mt2k
LiquidGravity
Posted 4:13 AM 7/10/08
I'm surprised a photo of this didn't get thrown in there yet. Feel free to do so now.
[gizmodo.com]
LiquidGravity
FrankenPC
Posted 4:36 AM 7/10/08
How do you get the rocket fuel for these without getting on the Government terror watch list?
FrankenPC
johnnyabnormal
Posted 4:34 AM 7/10/08
@ripfire: Ha! Thanks.
johnnyabnormal
Gann
Posted 5:10 AM 7/10/08
@FrankenPC: A friend of mine ordered some octane booster for his 'vette only to come home to a couple of black suv's parked in front of his house. Apparently the stuff can also be used to make explosives. After showing them the vehicle he had purchased it for they let him be, but you know he's still on a list or two.
Gann
caffeine
Posted 5:46 AM 7/10/08
Looks like the rocket in the first pic is experimenting with a glitter-sand fuel compound.
caffeine
CaseyG
Posted 6:01 AM 7/10/08
@caffeine: It's a mixture of rocket fuel and brake filings.
CaseyG
knyghtryda
Posted 5:59 AM 7/10/08
can anyone say CATO?
knyghtryda
AmishJohn
Posted 6:30 AM 7/10/08
@knyghtryda: (In Inspector Clouseau voice) "Kato? Where are you? You little... AARGH! {CRASH!}"
AmishJohn
bpapa9013
Posted 7:05 AM 7/10/08
@johnnyabnormal: I.e.
I see tons to phallic compensation, but I don't see any BALLS anywhere... What gives?
bpapa9013
GTgeek
Posted 6:59 AM 7/10/08
@Gann: Octane Booster? Like the stuff you can get at walmart? Or high octane fuel? Just curious for details...thanks!
GTgeek
sfokevin
Posted 7:53 AM 7/10/08
I think that rocket should get the Mr Congeniality award for spectacular girth and thrust....
sfokevin
Lite
Posted 5:28 AM 7/10/08
@Git Em SteveDave loves this guy-->: Welcome Aboard!
Lite
Lite
Posted 4:55 AM 7/10/08
So, did they go to all of the trouble to not create burn scars and leave no trace like Burning Man does? And, are there any toxic chemicals being deposited on the playa from these rockets? Well, more toxic than dirty unwashed hippie anyway?
Lite
ShachiAstydameia
Posted 4:28 AM 7/10/08
FYI, the rocket in the main article picture has a payload of a full 170lb. keg of beer. It reached 6183 ft. at ~ 430mph. The keg was successfully recovered, and consumed in 16.4 hours.Video of the launch is here, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXZfCXgY3P4
ShachiAstydameia
AJ_Syrinx
Posted 8:25 AM 7/10/08
Balls.
AJ_Syrinx
johnnyabnormal
Posted 11:28 AM 7/10/08
@bpapa9013: Maybe they were burned off during the initial phase of the launch?
johnnyabnormal
DaSmith
Posted 9:27 PM 7/10/08
@LiquidGravity: Yeah but they got no BALLS for doing this "trick", so it doesn't count
DaSmith
FrankenPC
Posted 9:43 AM 9/10/08
@GTgeek:
Probably the nitro-methane stuff.
FrankenPC