Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Arrowman · 07-30-2002, 09:28 PM

Just a little Aussie brag....

<a href="http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/07/30/1027926886008.html" target="_blank">Australia 1, NASA and Japan 0</a>

Quote:

A revolutionary engine that scientists believe will one day allow airliners to fly at more than eight times the speed of sound was launched at Woomera [in South Australia] yesterday.
Queensland University researchers said the world-first launch of the HyShot rocket - fitted with a scramjet engine - took place about noon.

[ July 30, 2002: Message edited by: Arrowman ]

fando · 07-31-2002, 01:26 AM

Hey, good job Australia! Nothing like a little solid competition to keep the pace of technological and scientific advances up there.

Skeptictank · 07-31-2002, 05:22 AM

Looks like the <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/space/07/30/xprize.engine/index.html" target="_blank">Canadians</a> might be getting in the game too! Go private industry! Props to the rocket boys!

echidna · 07-31-2002, 02:17 PM

Can�t tell you how stoked I was about this.

I work for a Japanese company & while most of our Japanese friends are fine, there is definitely a significant proportion who consider Australia to be nothing more than sheep farmers & kangaroo herders. 3 years & the attitude is wearing very thin with me.

Camera-work of the year was to film the Japanese attempt burning on the ground while a kangaroo hopped past.

Very gratifying to stick it up them, so to speak.

(Mind you, it surprised me as well. I didn�t think Australia�s industry was so advanced in that field.)

Arrowman · 07-31-2002, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by echidna:
Camera-work of the year was to film the Japanese attempt burning on the ground while a kangaroo hopped past.

I like the press photo showing the leader of the Queensland Uni team grinning and hugging his PhD student. The guy is wearing a check shirt with rolled up sleeves, and looks more like a farmer than a rocket scientist. Better (and more likely to humanise science with the general public) than pictures of grim-faced white-coated men with clipboards checking computer readouts. It just shrieks "This is FUN!"

SteveD · 08-03-2002, 09:05 PM

Well they still don't kow yet if the SCRAMjet actually worked. I work for an aerospace company that builds rocket engines and I can tell you this is a very difficult technology. The australians are doing very well in this field. hopefully they can make it work.

Steve

Mecha_Dude · 08-03-2002, 09:45 PM

AWESOME!
*Adds "Technological stagnation" to his big list of why to leave the USA*

Kosh · 08-05-2002, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by echidna:


Camera-work of the year was to film the Japanese attempt burning on the ground while a kangaroo hopped past.

What you need is a shot with Paul Hogan standing in front saying something like:

"Helluva way to herd Kangaroos if you ask me!"

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07-31-2002, 01:26 AM	#2
fando Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Los Angeles Area Posts: 1,372	Hey, good job Australia! Nothing like a little solid competition to keep the pace of technological and scientific advances up there.

07-31-2002, 05:22 AM	#3
Skeptictank Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: CONUS Posts: 901	Looks like the <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/space/07/30/xprize.engine/index.html" target="_blank">Canadians</a> might be getting in the game too! Go private industry! Props to the rocket boys!

07-31-2002, 02:17 PM	#4
echidna Veteran Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 2,832	Can�t tell you how stoked I was about this. I work for a Japanese company & while most of our Japanese friends are fine, there is definitely a significant proportion who consider Australia to be nothing more than sheep farmers & kangaroo herders. 3 years & the attitude is wearing very thin with me. Camera-work of the year was to film the Japanese attempt burning on the ground while a kangaroo hopped past. Very gratifying to stick it up them, so to speak. (Mind you, it surprised me as well. I didn�t think Australia�s industry was so advanced in that field.)

08-03-2002, 09:05 PM	#6
SteveD Regular Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: California Posts: 118	Well they still don't kow yet if the SCRAMjet actually worked. I work for an aerospace company that builds rocket engines and I can tell you this is a very difficult technology. The australians are doing very well in this field. hopefully they can make it work. Steve

08-03-2002, 09:45 PM	#7
Mecha_Dude Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Everywhere... I'm Watching you... Posts: 1,019	AWESOME! Adds "Technological stagnation" to his big list of why to leave the USA

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