Friday, March 23, 2007

Space Access ‘07 - Late Friday afternoon - Tim Bendel of Frontier Astronautics

Tim is President of Frontier Astronautics, based in a missile silo in Wyoming. Frontier Astronautics developing rocket engines and attitude control systems. I enjoyed a Denver Post article on Tim.

Tim showed pictures of two Boeing missles, both controlled by 1960s control. The second one had a problem and blew up. Control systems are important.

He had a video of a control which kept balanced even as children through nerf balls at them. They are working with Matsen Space Systems.

They have a simulator to help the pilot get a feel for flying.

They are also working with SpeedUp, the flying motorcycle company. Tim had a funny line about flying with just one engine. He said “The math was more difficult, but math doesn’t weigh anything.”


He talked briefly about ITAR. He encouraged people to work within the system. He said that freedom is a strength.

He showed two engines they have developed.

Frontier Astronautics is also willing to do engine testing. He showed their testing rack.

They have 50,000 square feet of floor space machine shop.

They have a shooting range.

Rand's report
Clark's report

First: Introduction
Overview: the agenda
Previous: John Carmack of Armadillo Aerospace
Next: Jerry Pournelle on living with bureaucracy


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