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Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: truax
Message-ID: <1737@mordor.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 10-May-85 10:53:24 EDT
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Posted: Fri May 10 10:53:24 1985
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From: conrad <@csnet-relay.arpa,@ucsc.CSNET:conrad@ucsc.CSNET (Al Conrad)>

I spoke with Robert Truax last month at the "Future Expo" in San Francisco
where he had a booth to drum up money.  His project is now called "Project
Private Enterprise".  He had his rocket there (which fits on a trailer that
could be pulled by a truck).  Evidently, they are coming up on the parachute
deployment test, in which they drop it from a helicopter.  The pacing item
for the test launch was the arrival of some new component for the rocket
engine.  The plan is still to shoot the astronaut up 50 miles (loose definition
of 'in space') and out over the Pacific Ocean.  Potential launch sites include
the place in Oxnard that is building the fake space hotel, a spot near
Monterey, and I believe a spot near San Diego.

I visited Truax at his home several times seven years ago and, in my oppinion,
his project is making methodical (albeit slow) progress.  As before, we talked
mostly about his use of computers, which in the past were used exclusively for
the collection and analysis of rocket test data.  He now, however, is using
a personal computer for the pre-launch checklist and this may evolve into a
semi-automated launch sequence.

I think projects like Truax's need the support of space enthusiasts.  Did
anyone catch the public television, Martin Sheen special on the history of
space exploration that aired last night?  The documentary showed that
throughout history space enthusiasts start out as idealistic innovators, but
inevitably get sucked into huge military projects (V2, ICBM, SDI, ... )
because that's where the resources are.

Al Conrad