Former NASA engineer Marc Robert, a YouTuber finest recognized for his Yard Squirrel Maze and Exploding Glitter Bomb movies, not too long ago dropped a pair of eggs from house that fell in Victor Valley.
Robert, 42, and his workforce of scientists dropped each eggs with the intention of not breaking them from practically 19 miles in a high-altitude balloon offered by Evening Crew Labs.
The launch occurred earlier this 12 months, however the “Egg Drop From Area” video was uploaded to YouTube on Black Friday.
It contains footage of the workforce driving alongside the Bear Valley Street in the direction of Lifeless Man’s Level in Apple Valley. Additionally proven are Bell Mountain, Interstate 15, and the world west of I-15 and close to the Dale Evans Boulevard exit.
A picture from a climate balloon in house confirmed the Victor Valley, together with landmarks resembling Spring Valley Lake and the Mojave River.
Challenge “Egg Drop”
When Robert started conceptualizing his egg drop venture practically three years in the past, he knew the profitable file would come from his expertise in touchdown scientific gear on different planets when he was at NASA.
A USC graduate, Robert labored for NASA for 9 years, seven of them on the Mars Curiosity venture. He additionally spent 5 years at Apple engaged on cutting-edge digital actuality know-how for autonomous automobiles earlier than leaving to develop into a full-time YouTuber.
Rober admitted that earlier than he launched into the Egg Drop venture, he did not know it could be probably the most “bodily, financially and mentally draining video” he had ever tried.
Plan
Robert’s workforce included rocket and propulsion specialist Joe Barnard of BPS Techniques, who helped with the steerage system and rocket design.
Robert’s unique plan was to connect an egg to a rocket that may be lifted by a big climate balloon. As soon as in house, the missile might be fired and direct the missile to the world above the drop goal.
At 300 ft above the bottom, the egg might be launched and fall freely onto a specifically designed mattress.
After figuring out that the ultimate velocity of the egg is 74 miles per hour, he efficiently examined the velocity in his Crunch Lab, situated close to San Francisco.
Robert and his workforce then traveled to the Northern California city of Gridley for 3 low altitude assessments, which all failed.
“Deadly flaw”
Robert turned to NASA engineer Adam Steltzner, who works on the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and on the a number of flight tasks together with Galileo, Cassini, Mars Pathfinder and Mars Exploration Rovers.
After listening to Robert and particulars about his venture, Stelzner found a “deadly flaw” within the venture and requested him: “How did the FAA not arrest you?”
Robert realized that his venture was akin to constructing a precision-guided missile that the federal authorities disapproved of.
Heading into the excessive desert
Again on the drafting board, Robert’s workforce determined to launch a rocket to drop eggs within the Excessive Desert.
The launch will use a climate balloon that may elevate a bigger, heavier rocket to make sure the egg reaches supersonic velocity on its means down.
A helium-filled balloon will launch a rocket, which is able to start to separate.
The a part of the rocket carrying the egg needed to decelerate earlier than shedding its nostril cone and deploying the parachute and smooth airbags, which had been borrowed from the Spirit and Alternative touchdown tasks.
Shortly earlier than launch, Robert found that the brand new two-piece rocket design may unexpectedly separate at Mach 2.
Robert and his workforce mounted the rocket’s connection level and performed vacuum and warmth assessments on the egg chamber.
In addition they constructed redundancy into the system, which included making a custom-made seaside ball full of packing supplies to guard the second egg.
Any payload suspended from the balloon would separate and easily fall to the bottom above the goal.
launch
Robert’s good friend, JPL techniques engineer Allen Chen, traveled to Victor Valley for Robert’s second launch.
In 2012, Chen famously stated, “Touchdown confirmed, we’re secure on Mars” after the Curiosity rover survived a harrowing dive and landed on the purple planet.
Someplace close to Apple Valley, a balloon, a rocket, a seaside ball, and Robert’s eggs efficiently launched.
When the workforce drove and arrived at their supposed touchdown web site, they discovered that the balloon had handed the 100,000-foot mark.
Because the group celebrated, moments later they found that the balloon had abruptly misplaced altitude and crashed to the bottom.
Because the balloon rose, the wire holding the rocket, seaside ball, and eggs wound so tightly that it pulled the balloon down, inflicting it to hurry down at 150 miles per hour, “which is far quicker than eggs can survive.” Robert defined.
Because the workforce looked for the wreckage, they noticed a parachute, a rocket, and a seaside ball.
Robert was thrilled that, at 20,000 ft, the payload indifferent itself from the balloon.
Robert held again his pleasure as he opened the rocket to examine the egg.
As a smiling Robert pulled an entire egg out of the rocket and held it excessive, Chen fortunately stated, “Touchdown confirmed, we’re secure on the bottom.”
This was repeated when Robert tore open the seaside ball and pulled out a second complete egg, which he kissed.
“Two for 2, child!” Robert shouted, giving Chen 5. “Two for 2!”
Rober ended the video by saying that the Egg Fall from Area venture reminded him that issues in life not often unfold the best way we expect.
“However by studying out of your failures, mixed with somewhat persistence, we people can accomplish a feat as unimaginable because the world’s smartest Martian robotic, or as ridiculous because the world’s tallest egg drop.” Robert stated.
Each day Press correspondent Rene Ray De La Cruz may be contacted at 760-951-6227 or e mail RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Observe him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz
