Doing real science with N-Prize sized satellites...thoughts?

I take it that you plan to use a gas gun from space to reach escape velocity once space is reached? The question is, what 20g object can survive such acceleration and at the same time prove that it's in orbit?

not escape just orbital velocity. most of the energy required to get to orbit is in the form of velocity, not getting up the gravitational field. the military did some research on this and i think they figured out how to make electronics that can survive such a shock before it was discontinued. seriously though, i think the main concern would be even if you can get materials that can do that, i bet fabricating them or buying them would cost you so much it wouldn't even be applicable. or of course you could try the good, old fashioned, shiny metal ball aka bullet. but then again i bet steel would turn into a pancake with a delta function (more or less) pressure...

We may use a gas gun as the last stage. It would make up the final velosity needed to attain orbit. We do have a compact design that is 72" long and can fire a projectile to hyper-velosity. However it is an experimental idea we are researching.

Monroe

yea when can i watch a video of that thing knocking down a tree or something ridiculous?

How about that! anyway I have a working model. That thing I was playing with in the start of the News interview was the gas gun! It's more of a spud gun But now that we have a big enough lathe we are looking forward to building something more substantial 3-6 months I'd say. Because the 4-stage booster is first. And we are hoping for July launch Into space and get the altitude record for amateur space. We are really gaining momentum in the hardware department.

Monroe