The way I heard the adage long ago, was “you are not a member of the club until you have blown one up”, as a NASA KSFC engineer is reported to have said when he called up Gary Hudson after Gary’s first big bang on Matagordo Island in Texas. Whatever the quote, Masten Aerospace became a full member a couple of days ago when their engine test resulted in an uncontrolled engine self-disassembly.
I am curious if they will still be entering a vehicle in the NASA Challenge at Las Cruces in two months.
I know at least several of the guys at MA. But then, I know a lot of the guys (and gals) at most of the rocket companies. Commercial space is a small world.
So XCOR are not a member of the club? I think a lot of people would dispute that.
Or does the (successfully) aborted after one engine would not shut down EZ-Rocket flight 11 count?
Surely Doug must have blown up *something* 🙂
Even Burt came pretty close from what Tim P told me about the mistakes made when Benson changed the hybrid to N2O4 from LOX…
Also, I don’t know what size engines you are building currently… at higher power levels trivial things seem to bite where one sits. So one might say, if you haven’t yet… you will.
XCOR is a member, they just won’t show you the video. 😉 And yes, we will still be at Las Cruces…