Q. How will the rocket be stabilized?
A. By Design
Q. Why bailout of the rocket since it already has a parachute?
A. Because floating down under a around parachute you have no control where you land. Also, staying with the rocket adds weight to the load on the parachute and makes the rocket come down faster and increases the chance of damage to the rocket. There is also the danger of hitting the ground very hard because round parachutes tend to rock back and forth. On the downward swing of the rocking motion, the pilot and rocket could be "slammed into the ground" which could result in a back injury. Bailing out eliminates these things and also gives the pilot a choice of where to land because a square parachute is highly maneuverable.
Q. Why use parachutes at all? Why not fly the rocket back down?
A. Parachutes are safe, simple, reliable, and inexpensive. Also a parachute is a recovery system and abort system all in one. Example, if the engines flameout prematurely, a ballistic parachute can be deployed in just a few seconds.
Q. Do you plan on test flying the rocket before a human flies on it?
A. Yes, probably 3 times and the fourth time I fly it.
Q. How much do you think it will cost?
A. Close to 20,000 dollars.
Q. How can you build it so cheap?
A. Most of the rocket will be made from aircraft grade lumber. The few expensive parts will be the engines, the oxidizer tank, and the parachute recovery system.
Q. Where do you plan on launching the rocket?
A. Probably the first time on private land. We will film it and have exclusive video footage.
Q. How do you hope to make back your money?
A. By selling the video to the highest bidder.
Q. Do you plan on flying the rocket again?
A. Yes
Q. Is the rocket reusable?
A. Yes
Q. How hard will it be to ready the rocket for another flight?
A. The rocket will be inspected for any damage that occurred in flight or the landing. The damage will be repaired. The engines will be disassembled, cleaned, and inspected. The parts that are worn will be replaced, new fuel cores will be installed, the engines will be reassembled and then reinstalled. The parachute will be sent back to the manufacturer and repacked. The oxidizer tank will be pressure tested and checked for leaks. Before launch the oxidizer tank will be filled with fresh oxidizer. Now it is ready to fly again.
Q. Will the G forces hurt the pilot?
A. Probably not, I will only feel 4 Gs or less for just a few seconds. This is far less than what would cause a person in normal health to black-out.
Q. How does the ballistic parachute work?
A. A compressed gas rocket pulls the parachute out and opens in a hurry, hence the term ballistic.
Q. What happens if the engines shut down when the rocket is at 500 feet altitude?
A. Quickly deploy the parachute and pray it opens.
Q. Why are you doing this?
A. Because it should have been done a long time ago. We have to reach for the stars with our own hands.
Q. What do you hope to get out of this?
A. One Hell of a ride.
Q. Why hasnt someone already done this?
A. Im not sure, but I think because of the danger and because NASA and the military have flown manned rockets no serious effort has been made to do a commercial manned launch. The high power rocket community definitely has the capability to do this, but I think they are scared of the bad publicity if someone gets killed. Also you really have to trust your work and the way some of their rockets have been blowing up in the desert I feel no one can conceive of putting a man in one. I applaud there efforts though, they have inspired me.
Q. Is it worth the risk?
Hell yes, I would have a hard time living with myself if I didnt give this my best shot. I was a impressionable kid growing up in the glory days of manned space flight the 60s and early 70s. I miss that magic time when men flew higher and faster, and the nation seems to have forgotten something that represents some of whats best in us, our frontier spirit. If you ever read the childrens book "The Little Engine That Could" this little rocket that we propose is the "Little Rocket That Could". Even though 3000 feet is a long way from the vacuum of space, it will express the will and determination it will take to one day reach the stars. We have to start from somewhere.