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ARCA's Next Launch

Bogdan — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 09:55:57 -0700

There are a few websites that wrote about our next launch. During the latest team meeting in Strasbourg, we announced two things:
- ARCA teamed up with Pablo de Leon
- we are getting ready for a test launch to 100 km.

This is not an attempt to win the Prize! It's a long, long way to the Moon and all our future plans depend on the result of the next launch.

ARCA had three successful launches until now:
- Demonstrator 2B
- Mission 1
- Mission 2

Now we announced "Mission 4". Since the previous launches achieved their goals, we decided to skip "Mission 3". By doing this, we are taking a lot of chances. We don't follow the cautious step-by-step approach that worked so well in the past. So, why do we change the strategy? There are two reasons:

The first reason is that the technology that we use is mature. We have expertise in balloons, propulsion and materials. Navigation, communication, remote control of the spacecraft, etc are domains where we need to gather more experience. A flight to 100 km is achievable with our current capabilities and competences.

The second reason is time. The original X Prize took 10 years and it was won in the last year even if the experience of the winning team as well as their project budget were more then impressive. This competition is only for 5 years or 7 years if we take into account the extension. Therefore, it's even more difficult from this point of view. In order to keep the pace and to make a realistic attempt to win the competition before the deadline, we had to risk.

Therefore, we're not aiming for the Moon - this time... This launch is just a milestone, even if it's a major one. I just wanted make this clear.

Bogdan Sburlea,
ARCA

225 years ago...

Bogdan — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 13:16:40 -0700

ARCA uses a hot air balloon, a "Montgolfier", as the first stage for the Haas-ELE vehicle. I would like to write about an important date from the history of flight.

Exactly 225 years ago, on June 4th, 1783, Joseph and Étienne Montgolfier made the first public demonstration of a lighter-than-air machine.

If we don't consider the discovery of the kite (China, around 400 BC), this public demonstration was maybe the first major milestone in the history of flight. This happened 120 years before another major milestone, 1903, the Wright Brothers.

More details:
http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blearlyflight.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montgolfier_brothers

Bogdan Sburlea,
ARCA

SCSG quits, ARCA prepares for the flight

Bogdan — Mon, 26 May 2008 13:33:45 -0700

SCSG quits Google Lunar X Prize. This is really bad news. I posted a reply on this message from Deborah.

ARCA is preparing for the first spaceflight. We will post more info at www.arcaspace.ro.

Stay with us.

Bogdan Sburlea,

ARCA

ARCA at GLXP Summit

Bogdan — Sat, 24 May 2008 07:28:29 -0700

HAAS ELE flight sequence

Bogdan — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 05:43:10 -0700