Teenager launches Lego Space Shuttle into stratosphere

Oaida Raul, a teenager from Romania, launched a Lego Space Shuttle into the stratosphere by tethering it to a high-altitude balloon, along with a camera that shot gorgeous footage of the ascent. He had to go to Germany to launch the vehicle (to deke out Romania's strict launch rules), and pulled it off beautifully.

1600g Weather Ballon
Rocketmodel parachute - slowing things down on the descent
Spot GPS - for recovery
GoPro Hero - video camera
Kodak Zx1 - video camera which took shit images I couldn't even use
New Trent - external battery for the GoPro (broke down before leaving for Germany)
Handwarmers - keepin' it warm at -50 Celsius
40mm Sytrofoam - building the box
Fishingwire - attached the shuttle by 5 wires
LED Beacon - in case of night recovery
Balsa wood - made the camera arm from it to obtain that filming angle. And of course: Lego Shuttle model 3367

Micro Blade Jets (Thanks, Zard!)

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

MORE: happy mutants • lego • maker • romania • Space • submitterator • video • youtube

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John Berube

I wonder what the designer of that lego set thinks about this.
http://twitter.com/crthomas42 Charles Thomas

Anybody know what the first song was?
- zard
  
  From the YouTube page “1st song: Radical Face – Welcome Home
  
  2nd song: Richard Strauss – Also Sprach Zarathustra” :)
gwilliker

So fake!! I can clearly see the strings.
- spock9791
  
  No shit? Why don’t you read the whole article, dumbass!
  - gwilliker
    
    I did. Then I watched the whole video. Then I thought of something clever and funny to write as a comment. Then I replied to a troll. What can I say? It’s been a busy Wednesday!
    - http://devojane.blogspot.com devophill
      
      In this case, spock9791 is not a troll. You have successfully (perhaps inadvertently) trolled spock9791, therefore you are the troll here. Good job!
      - TheMudshark
        
        It appears you don´t know much about trolling. Or maybe you do?
John Fleming

“…deke out Romania’s strict launch rules…”

You can take the boy out of Canada, but you can’t take Canada out of the boy.
http://twitter.com/bazimmerman Brad Zimmerman

Don’t fret, there’s still a video yet to be done with #10213, the current, bigger, and nicer-looking version of the shuttle. Or really class things up with #7470 aka Discovery STS-31. http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=7470-1

The above being said… pretty good video from an obviously determined and creative person.
- http://profile.yahoo.com/VNTTBNVPN7HMRJLO6GIJZVMVSU Bram
  
  Or go old school with 1682…
  Or go big, flashy, and motorized with 8480…
- tedrock
  
  Lego should give this young man the Discovery STS-31 so he can have a second go at it. He could be the first person to use a Lego model to launch a small working satellite made of Legos…
Lizanne Connelly

Is this how the Romans or Greeks felt after their civilizations had fallen but some of their books and accomplishments continued to inspire others long after they themselves had lost the will or ability to strive for greatness? A toy space shuttle…better than what we can launch these days.
- Antinous / Moderator
  
  Unless they were vampires, they probably had no idea what used to be.
http://www.sipmaven.com/ Sip Maven

Song is called “Welcome Home, Son” by Radical Face. Its from the EP “Touch The Sky,” a nice touch.
winterer

we now need to figure out what size of helium balloon is needed to get real spaceships up to the same altitude. This could be an exciting alternative to space lifts not to speak of rockets. If it works, this is going to be a quantum leap for space traveling