Today in Engineering Newswire, we’re launching rockets to new heights, incinerating a turkey with a flamethrowing drone, and beginning construction on a Hyperloop test track.
Hyperloop One Step Closer to ‘Kitty Hawk’ Moment
Hyperloop Technologies made news this week with an announcement that company CEO Rob Lloyd called “one of the many steps that moves [Hyperloop] closer to achieving its ‘Kitty Hawk’ moment in 2016.”
Read more: Hyperloop Will Begin Testing in Nevada Next Year
The company announced a 50-acre land deal for a site in Mountain View Industrial Park in North Las Vegas where it will begin construction on its Propulsion Open Air Test. Hardware will arrive as soon as this month, and testing is expected to begin in early 2016.
Flamethrower-Equipped Drone Incinerates Turkey
Remember the Connecticut teen who outfitted a drone with a gun, filmed it, and uploaded it to Youtube? Well he’s back, and this time it’s with a flamethrower.
Austin Haughwout released a new video on Monday, entitled “Roasting the Holiday Turkey.” Over the course of the four minute video, a drone, with a homemade flamethrower strapped to it, hovers in place while incinerating a turkey by remote control.
The teen reported using eight motors, eight propellers, eight electronic speed controls, an on/off switch for the pump, a 5 volt battery eliminator circuit, 16 frame bars, and a relay to build his drone.
Virgin Galactic’s New Satellite-Launching Jet
Virgin Galactic, the spaceflight company headed by 65-year-old British billionaire Richard Branson recently unveiled “Cosmic Girl,” a modified Boeing 747 jumbo jet that the company hopes will be a launch platform for its LauncherOne small-satellite launch service.
The company said its LauncherOne rockets would be attached to the modified plane’s left wing, which is near where the aircraft typically carries a fifth engine. Once the rocket reaches an elevation of 35,000 feet, it would separate from Cosmic Girl, fire up its engine, and continue its task of delivering a satellite payload to orbit.
Filed Under: Rapid prototyping
