Here’s another one for the Home Made Future department: I found this over on Gizmodo – back in August some amateur radio enthusiasts sent up a balloon with a tracking package and an HD video cam.
The footage they captured – the first successful amateur hi-def video from the edge of space – is extraordinary.
Pay attention around the 6:20 mark – that’s when the balloon pops.
These aren’t the only folks who have been doing this sort of thing. makers and amateur scientists have been sending up an increasing number of near-space expeditions.
It won’t be long before more fucking insane inspired dudes in lawn chairs start aiming to attain orbit.
Old tech re-purposed – new tech applied in unexpected ways – limited only by human imagination and passionate souls with way too much time on their hands – all of it is a recipe for a very interesting future indeed.
Fuck the jet packs, baby, I’m fillin’ the RV with helium and goin’ on a real vacation. Yee haw!
Cheers.
Tags: amateur radio, balloons, BEAR 4, buck fuckin rogers, future, Gizmodo, hackers, HD, helium, home laboratories, It's not a party without balloons, jet packs, makers, orbit, space, video, what I really want is one of those floating Chinese restaurant boats like the dude had in the movie The Fifth Element - that would be awesome
Great stuff! Thanks for sharing!
I want to borrow this when you’re done with it. May I?
The MPAA would regard that as copyright theft – but, since they’re a bunch of fucking morons, once I’ve actually got it – sure, no problem.
Maybe we should have a poetry screening party – and between episodes everyone gets a turn to stand up and perform their own – and everytime someone actually rhymes we all take a drink.
Cheers.
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