Comments on: Balloon-Rocket to Soar 43 Miles (Jul, 1934)

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:50:53 +0000

But the inventor isn’t named. I’d really like to know about patents, and maybe contact his descendants.

By: Andrew B

Andrew B — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:58:50 +0000

I’m really surprised that rocket balloons are this old. Right now the first team to launch for Google’s Lunar X-Prize is using a similar approach.

By: Reed

Reed — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:12:55 +0000

This is an old idea that hasn’t gone entirely out of fashion. Former x-prize contenders: http://www.arcaspace.ro/suborbital/en/stabilo.htm and http://www.davinciproject.com/ both planned balloon launch.

By: rsterling78

rsterling78 — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 05:01:51 +0000

Can someone explain the steering wheels to me? I assume they are meant to be operated by the pilot. They appear to be 1 foot up from the floor on opposite sides of the cylinder. Was there an “anti-ergonomics” movement back in the ’30s?

By: Blurgle

Blurgle — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 01:16:42 +0000

Torgo, I think the illustrator took that image right out of Grecian Clipart Vol. 1.

By: Torgo

Torgo — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:54:57 +0000

I like that guy standing there. He looks like something off a Greek vase.

By: jayessell

jayessell — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:04:38 +0000

Except for the ‘manned’ part, balloon launched rockets actually existed.

By: Myles

Myles — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:00:37 +0000

You guys are such nitpicks. I’m sure they will work out the kinks once they’ve tried it a few times.

By: slim

slim — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:00:14 +0000

I wonder how well that air vent thing would work if the rocket came down nose first.

By: Rick Segedi

Rick Segedi — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 14:42:16 +0000

So . . . with the absence of a reclining acceleration seat, he just hangs onto the parachute air vent pipe when the thing blasts off? Or maybe he curls up around it on the floor. Tricky . . .