Posted on 12/02/2011 2:52:59 PM PST by AnAmericanAbroad
This is the Ugandan aircraft that Africa hopes will thrust it right into the space race.
Constructed amidst the rubble of his mother's backyard, ambitious Chris NSamba believes the African Skyhawk will lead to his continent launching its first astronaut into orbit.
The African Space Research Programme founder has been helped by 600 volunteers in partially achieving the first stage of his dream - the creation of the plane that will penetrate the edge of space by flying at 80,000ft.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Steve Allen: “I see you are carrying your crash helmet.:
Jose Jimenez: “Oh, I hoooope nooooott!”
Steve: “How are you preparing for this great undertaking?”
Jose: “Oh, don’t say undertaking to an astronowwwt!”
Same thing was said of Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo. And for good reason.
Reminds me of a story (aprocryphal I’m sure) of when Yuri Gagarin went up into space.
The story goes that Sergei Korolev, the brains behind the Soviet space program, approached Colonel Gagarin and asked him if he’d like to be the first man in space....for the glory of the motherland and Leninism, all that jazz. Gagarin said, of course he’d volunteer. After Korolev described to him how the launch process and orbiting the earth, etc., would work, he asked Gagarin if he had any additional questions. To which Colonel Gagarin replied, “Yes, Comrade, I do. How will I get back?” It is said that Korolev replied, “Don’t worry about that, Comrade Colonel. As soon as we have that figured out, you’ll be the first to know.”
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
There’s a first time for all things, so despite the slim chance of success, I’d say it’s worth it.
My grandfather had business dealings with Jim McDivitt when I was a kid and used to take me to lunch with McDivitt (Gemini 4 and Apollo 9)
He didn’t die. Incidentally McDivitt was the first Roman Catholic in space.
And when asked how he plans to simulate zero gravity for training, he said it would be ‘easy’. He added: ‘I’ve got a jet engine on order so I’m planning to build a tunnel, put the engine at one end and when I throw a guy in he’ll float in a similar way to how he would in space.’
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That was the one really big flaw I noticed in his plan. I’m not quite too sure if things would turn out so well for the astronaut-in-training.
LOL!
Americanism on display in the suburbs of Kampala.
For me, quite a contrast between this young man and his volunteer friends, and the OWS crowd. Sad thing is, there contemporaries as far as age goes (twentysomethings).
So, the American spirit isn’t dead yet.....it’s just moved.
See? And use guys think that a Kenyan can’t be a POTUS!
You can take Chris NSamba, I’ll take Wernher von Braun.
I say that is very cool
Ok, I went and looked at the craft. Now I’m convinced he’s really Nigerian.
He’s actually rich, but he can’t take his money out right now. If you write him a check for $20,000 he’ll pay you back $40,000 in a week!
No confidence in balsa wood and Ambroid cement, eh?
Your lack of faith is disturbing.
I am a heretic.
These fellows are some brave. Did you see the video? They are waiting on the LANDING GEAR, THE PROPELLER, and THE ENGINE. They said the plane would get up to a blistering speed of 120KM per hour. Biplanes went faster.
This made me think of the USA’s Old Negro Space Program.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipGLGUgEhBA
Looks like a prop from an Ed Wood film.
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