> "Starsailor has already set a world record for being the first rocket engine developed and fired by civilians, when it was initially tested in 2021."<p>Say what? Obviously something got garbled between the students and the Media Relations office.<p>> "The team’s current goal is to make history by launching the first student-built, liquid-fuelled rocket to cross the boundary between the Earth’s atmosphere and into outer space, known as the Kármán line."<p>That didn't sound likely, either. And no; USC would like a word with them (2019). [1] [Edit: Ah, cute. USC had a solid rocket engine.]<p>Further edit: Not to belittle the team's chops. A liquid-fueled engine is a lot more difficult that a solid motor. And, the team has showed a lot of perserverence in their journey.<p>[1] <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/a-rocket-built-by-students-reached-space-for-the-first-time/" rel="nofollow">https://www.wired.com/story/a-rocket-built-by-students-reach...</a>
"Developed by Civilians" meaning students and hobbyists? Last time I checked SpaceX is a private company, as are Boeing and other big aerospace companies. Sure, dual-use technology often have government and defense customers, but civilian-built launches for comms satellites are far from uncommon.
Copenhagen Suborbitals has been launching crowdfunded liquid fuelled rockets for years. Not quite as big as Concordia is proposing but interesting nonetheless: <a href="https://copenhagensuborbitals.com/" rel="nofollow">https://copenhagensuborbitals.com/</a>
I think whoever wrote this article has never heard of Tripoli. Albeit, a liquid fueled engine is quite an accomplishment. The article should have focused on that.
Since when did 'civilian' == amateur?<p>You could sort of exclude NASA and other govt agencies from the civilian qualifier, but spacex? Blue origin? All the other private space companies?
Why doesn’t this header use the article’s not incorrect actual title rather than a clearly incorrect line from the article written by a journalist who does not seem to know the meaning of the word “civilian”?
What about <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copenhagen_Suborbitals" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copenhagen_Suborbitals</a>?
Strange use of the word civilian. Aren’t private companies similarly civilian?<p>That being said, if they truly beat out Kestrel (or are they referencing Merlin 1A?) that’s no small feat.
All these needle shaped rockets by students/amateurs make me wonder since I've seen flat shaped drones go vertical at incredible speed if there might be another way to use vertical lift at least within the atmosphere using millisecond reaction controllers.<p>The needle shape really limits payload. If it could be wider but use the outer surface as some kind of physics trick to multiply lift, that could change everything.<p>Mass weight still is a factor but would allow a wider range of payload shapes.
China will be happy. We learned yesterday that they work hand in hand.<p>"Canadian universities conducting joint research with Chinese military scientists" <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-chinese-military-scientists-canadian-universities/" rel="nofollow">https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-chinese-mil...</a>