A few months ago I ran across your site on the web, and have been following your mailing list. I'm a carpenter foreman and live just north of San Francisco. I'm an amateur scientist though, and I was wondering what I could do to get more involved. I see Pierce Nichols is looking for help. Where does he live? ----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, June 07, 2003 12:25 AM Subject: ERPS-list digest, Vol 1 #724 - 4 msgs
> Send ERPS-list mailing list submissions to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://lists.erps.org/mailman/listinfo/erps-list > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > You can reach the person managing the list at > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of ERPS-list digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Minutes of ERPS #261 ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) > 2. Re: Casualties/Launch ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) > 3. Re: Re: Casualties/Launch (Ian Woollard) > 4. Re: Minutes of ERPS #261 (Pierce Nichols) > > --__--__-- > > Message: 1 > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Date: Fri, 06 Jun 2003 09:17:22 -0700 > Subject: [ERPS] Minutes of ERPS #261 > > Minutes of ERPS General Meeting #261 > 05 June 2003 > > The President called the meeting to order at 8:17 PM. Members present were > Mark Blair, Rick Eversole, Sean Lynch, David Masten, Pierce Nichols, Gerald > Nordley and his wife, Julie Porter, Adrian Tymes, Michael Wallis, David > Weinshenker and Chris Winter. Roger Gregory, co-inventor of a rotary > engine, also attended in order to set up a working relationship with ERPS. > > Reports and discussion on agenda items were as follows: > > > DOCUMENTATION > ------------- > Chris Winter > > Nothing to report > > INFOTECH > -------- > Sean Lynch > > Nothing to report > > LIAISONS > -------- > Michael Wallis > > Pierce reported that, at SA'03, he had struck up a friendship with > Jonathan Goff, who plans to visit the Bay Area in July and wants to see our > facilities. Jon is a mechanical engineering undergraduate at Brigham Young > University and is working on a pintle-injector engine. Anyone with > questions about this can ask him directly on the ERPS mailing list. > > Michael said our presentation on "FAST" at the International Space > Development Conference went well, although it was poorly attended. Later, > at the National Space Society board meeting, Adrian proposed FAST as an NSS > legislative initiative and reported some interest from them. This will be > discussed further by the ERPS board. > > LOGISTICS > --------- > Sean Lynch > > Nothing to report > > PUBLIC AFFAIRS > -------------- > Michael Wallis > > The reporter from the East Bay Community Newspapers, previously mentioned > in the context of doing a story on this year's ISDC, did attend that > Memorial-Day-weekend event. Apparently, she found little of interest. > > TREASURER > --------- > Rick Eversole > > The treasurer reported that, since he has disbursed funds for POGO > engines, sparger parts, two drums of 50% peroxide feedstock, and a water de- > ionizer, we have substantially less money than before. > > CHIEF SCIENTIST > --------------- > Kevin Bollinger > > Nothing to report > > FLIGHT CONTROLS > --------------- > Dave Masten > > Dave requested that someone else take over Flight Controls, since his time > is fully occupied with POGO, peroxide, a paying job, personal life, etc. > This matter will be taken under advisement. > > The next Gizmocopter meeting will be held at CDI. Date and time: Thursday, > 12 June; 7 PM. > > PROPELLANTS/SPARGER/FF > ---------------------- > Pierce Nichols > > Pierce called for a work party at the Ranch on Saturday. The goal is to > make an initial run of his sparger with peroxide, and to train some > alternates who can operate the system when he is unable to be on site. The > plan is to assemble at his house at 9 AM, then proceed to the Ranch. > > Pierce also reported that our facility at the Ranch passed its hazmat > evaluation with flying colors, and that we have two 500 lb. drums of 50% > peroxide there for processing. > > Dave W has his "teacart FF apparatus" under final assembly at CDI. > > REGULATORY > AFFAIRS > ------- > Dave Weinshenker > > Dave W reported that Senator Enzi's bill, S 724, continues to do well in > the Senate, but that letters to Representatives are needed. He also called > for those interested to submit comments on the BATFE's NPRM for the Safe > Explosives Act. > > There was some discussion of the recently concluded COMSTAC meeting in > Washington, DC. Adrian will collect some electronic documents related to > this and pass them to Chris for the archives. > > SAFETY > ------ > Dave Masten > > Safety is AOK. > > TESTING > ------- > Dave Masten > > As noted before, peroxide is the pacing item for testing. > > **** PROJECTS > > Composites > ---------- > Kevin Bollinger > > Nothing to report. > > Gizmocopter > ----------- > Dave Masten > > See Flight Controls, above. > > KISS > ---- > Dan Solvin > > Modifications to the test fin can are complete, and KISS 4 is ready for > static testing. What's needed now is enough peroxide for a full series of > diagnostic runs. > > POGO > ---- > Dave Masten > > Engines for POGO (two full sets plus two spare engines) are finished. They > will be shipped COD to Rick's office; it turns out to be the fastest way. A > POGO meeting will be scheduled when we have them in hand. > > SMARTFLIGHT > ----------- > Dave Weinshenker > > Dave W flew PC Bird at Dairy Aire. Prototype electronics worked well on > this flight, its second, as they did on the first. The only problem was > that the main 'chute stuck in the tube, and the vehicle came down on the > stabilization 'chute. Despite this, the rocket incurred no structural > damage. > > Spike > ----- > Sean Lynch > > Sean is still awaiting completion of the engine design. The current plan > is to test-fire and prove out an aerospike engine before investing more > design time on the vehicle structure. > > NEW BUSINESS > ------------ > > Dave Masten announced with evident pleasure that Steve and Joyce Traugott > are the proud parents of a baby daughter named Angela. Mother and daughter > are doing well; GLOW (*) was not reported. > > Julie Porter presented a document on using a flat-bed scanner mechanism to > measure HTP concentration, and some material on Atmel's AVR chips. The AVR > is a PIC workalike. > > > Meeting #261 adjourned at 9:12 PM. The next meeting will take place 19 June > 2003 at a Coco's location TBA. > > (*) GLOW in this context means "Gently Launched Offspring Weight" (among > other possibilities). > > Respectfully submitted, > > Chris Winter > Secretary, ERPS > > > +++ PLEASE ADVISE THE SECRETARY OF ANY ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THESE > MINUTES +++ > > > --__--__-- > > Message: 2 > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Date: Fri, 6 Jun 2003 13:21:21 EDT > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: [ERPS] Re: Casualties/Launch > > Gentlefolk, > > << the chances of going bang goes down with launch experience, not up! >> > > For initial experimental operations, yes, but this learning curve can peak > early. With long term routine operations, there's a tendency for complacency to > set in, pressure to cut corners to save money (until one gets some > unfortunate feedback), and finally, the equipment ages. Arguably, we've seen some of > this in both DCX and shuttle mishaps. > > --Best, Gerald > > > > > > > --__--__-- > > Message: 3 > Date: Fri, 06 Jun 2003 19:50:17 +0100 > From: Ian Woollard <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: [ERPS] Re: Casualties/Launch > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > >Gentlefolk, > > > ><< the chances of going bang goes down with launch experience, not up! >> > > > >For initial experimental operations, yes, but this learning curve can peak > >early. With long term routine operations, there's a tendency for complacency to > >set in, pressure to cut corners to save money (until one gets some > >unfortunate feedback), and finally, the equipment ages. > > > Yes, but how quickly the equipment ages is all part of launch experience > too. When I say launch a/ lot/, I mean, wear out the vehicle in 4 months ;-) > > > Arguably, we've seen some of > >this in both DCX and shuttle mishaps. > > > Whilst complacency played a small part with the Shuttle mishaps, I would > argue that the root cause of the two major accidents were design faults. > > DC-X; well that was done on an absolute shoe-string, I don't think you > can draw any huge conclusions. > > >--Best, Gerald > > > > > > > > > > > >_______________________________________________ > >ERPS-list mailing list > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >http://lists.erps.org/mailman/listinfo/erps-list > > > > > > > > > -- > -Ian "Everything I say is a lie" > Motto: "You're Not Authorized to Know Our Motto." > "The future isn't what it used to be, but then it never was." > "Predestination was doomed from the start." > "Everything takes longer than you expect, even when you take > into account Hofstadter's Law" -Hostadter's Law > > > > --__--__-- > > Message: 4 > Date: Fri, 06 Jun 2003 13:26:11 -0700 > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] > From: Pierce Nichols <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Re: [ERPS] Minutes of ERPS #261 > > > One thing re: KISS tower that I brought up during new business. I got a > quote on the slotted angle I like, for $2.71/ft in 50' or 60' increments. > We need three 60' increments for the full box tower. HF Tools carries an > appropriate trailer that can be modified for the tower. > > -p > > > Mars or Bust! > www.marssociety.com > > > > --__--__-- > > _______________________________________________ > ERPS-list mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://lists.erps.org/mailman/listinfo/erps-list > > > End of ERPS-list Digest _______________________________________________ ERPS-list mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.erps.org/mailman/listinfo/erps-list
