@physicstim.bsky.social
Research group lead at a large European research organisation
Decided to ask AI what an Engelbert-Strauss spacesuit would look like. I was not disappointed.
December 2, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Decided to ask AI what an Engelbert-Strauss spacesuit would look like. I was not disappointed.
Unexpected highlight for cloudy days: La Mola near Mahon www.fortalesalamola.com/en/home
A fortress spread out across a whole island. Many (underground) places to visit. Unofficial highlight: rent an electric golf cart for driving around. Kids love it and its a lot of fun. Great foto opportunities!
A fortress spread out across a whole island. Many (underground) places to visit. Unofficial highlight: rent an electric golf cart for driving around. Kids love it and its a lot of fun. Great foto opportunities!
July 30, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Unexpected highlight for cloudy days: La Mola near Mahon www.fortalesalamola.com/en/home
A fortress spread out across a whole island. Many (underground) places to visit. Unofficial highlight: rent an electric golf cart for driving around. Kids love it and its a lot of fun. Great foto opportunities!
A fortress spread out across a whole island. Many (underground) places to visit. Unofficial highlight: rent an electric golf cart for driving around. Kids love it and its a lot of fun. Great foto opportunities!
Beach recommendation #2: Arenal d'en Castell on the north side of #Menorca. Also very nice for kids because of the shallow water. Park on the east side near the restaurant Viva la Pepa, it's free at the roadside. From there it is a 5 minute walk to the beach. Also highly suitable for snorkelling.
July 30, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Beach recommendation #2: Arenal d'en Castell on the north side of #Menorca. Also very nice for kids because of the shallow water. Park on the east side near the restaurant Viva la Pepa, it's free at the roadside. From there it is a 5 minute walk to the beach. Also highly suitable for snorkelling.
This is the view from Coca d'en Xoroi
July 30, 2025 at 3:34 PM
This is the view from Coca d'en Xoroi
Beach recommendation #1 for familys: #CalaEnPorter. Beautifully located at the south coast. Shallow water, no waves with north wind. Awesome snorkelling on the west (right) side. Free and plenty of parking, arrive before 10:30. Coffee at the beach bar 1,60 €. Bathrooms + food available.
July 30, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Beach recommendation #1 for familys: #CalaEnPorter. Beautifully located at the south coast. Shallow water, no waves with north wind. Awesome snorkelling on the west (right) side. Free and plenty of parking, arrive before 10:30. Coffee at the beach bar 1,60 €. Bathrooms + food available.
This is shown in the following graph. Keeping two panels at southward orientation and changing two to SE/SW or SSE/SSW does not make a big difference in summer compared to 4 panels south. In winter, 4 panels to the south increases the yield a bit.
July 9, 2025 at 8:33 PM
This is shown in the following graph. Keeping two panels at southward orientation and changing two to SE/SW or SSE/SSW does not make a big difference in summer compared to 4 panels south. In winter, 4 panels to the south increases the yield a bit.
To answer the first question: Yes, it helps to buy four modules instead of two. Clearsky indicates full irradiation (no clouds or weather) and TMY is typical meteorological year. So for four panels, one could expect 1700 kWh/year compared to 1030 kWh/year. This is for optimal azimuth orientation.
July 9, 2025 at 8:33 PM
To answer the first question: Yes, it helps to buy four modules instead of two. Clearsky indicates full irradiation (no clouds or weather) and TMY is typical meteorological year. So for four panels, one could expect 1700 kWh/year compared to 1030 kWh/year. This is for optimal azimuth orientation.
But where can you test a full orbital rocket? Definitely not in Germany. Now comes the crazy part. Kayser and the OTRAG made a deal with the dictator of Zaire where they could test their rocket on a table mountain. This will be shown in part 2.
February 3, 2025 at 8:08 PM
But where can you test a full orbital rocket? Definitely not in Germany. Now comes the crazy part. Kayser and the OTRAG made a deal with the dictator of Zaire where they could test their rocket on a table mountain. This will be shown in part 2.
Kayser conducted his first firing tests at the rocket test site of Lampoldshausen near Heilbronn in southern Germany. This site now belongs to the German Aerospace Center (DLR). He also recruited technicians from Lampoldshausen for his company.
February 3, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Kayser conducted his first firing tests at the rocket test site of Lampoldshausen near Heilbronn in southern Germany. This site now belongs to the German Aerospace Center (DLR). He also recruited technicians from Lampoldshausen for his company.
The only moving part in the rocket engine was an actuated valve. Original pieces of this can be visited in the museum of the DLR Lampoldshausen.
February 3, 2025 at 8:08 PM
The only moving part in the rocket engine was an actuated valve. Original pieces of this can be visited in the museum of the DLR Lampoldshausen.
Lutz Kaysers approach to building rockets was simple: Use commercially available components, cheap fuels and design a single small rocket that can be bundled to increase the thrust.
February 3, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Lutz Kaysers approach to building rockets was simple: Use commercially available components, cheap fuels and design a single small rocket that can be bundled to increase the thrust.
But he also got help from famous rocket people: After retiring as director of the Kennedy Space Center, Kurt H. Debus joint OTRAG as the chairman of the board of directors, and also Wernher v. Braun as scientific advisor.
February 3, 2025 at 8:08 PM
But he also got help from famous rocket people: After retiring as director of the Kennedy Space Center, Kurt H. Debus joint OTRAG as the chairman of the board of directors, and also Wernher v. Braun as scientific advisor.
It all started in 1971 with engineer Lutz Kayser who founded a company to develop a cheap alternative to the Europa III B rocket, an ancestor of today’s Ariane rocket series. Kayser successfully raised money from the German ministry of Education and Research, as well as private investors.
February 3, 2025 at 8:08 PM
It all started in 1971 with engineer Lutz Kayser who founded a company to develop a cheap alternative to the Europa III B rocket, an ancestor of today’s Ariane rocket series. Kayser successfully raised money from the German ministry of Education and Research, as well as private investors.
Never heard of OTRAG? This is the story of a man, long before Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, who dreamt of cheap commercial access to space for everyone.
February 3, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Never heard of OTRAG? This is the story of a man, long before Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, who dreamt of cheap commercial access to space for everyone.
Dive with me into the craziest episode of West-Germany's past space activities because I have an orginal version of the 1978 brochure from the „Orbital Transport- und Raketen Aktiengesellschaft“ OTRAG.
February 3, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Dive with me into the craziest episode of West-Germany's past space activities because I have an orginal version of the 1978 brochure from the „Orbital Transport- und Raketen Aktiengesellschaft“ OTRAG.
Petals were even considered for the first stage. The concept was abandoned in favour of planar fins.
January 28, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Petals were even considered for the first stage. The concept was abandoned in favour of planar fins.
Just stumbled across this press release orbex.space/news/patent-... from 2024 where ORBEX patented petal-like structures for reusable launchers. This concepts has been investiged & published before in 2022 in the EU RETALT project: link.springer.com/article/10.1...
January 28, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Just stumbled across this press release orbex.space/news/patent-... from 2024 where ORBEX patented petal-like structures for reusable launchers. This concepts has been investiged & published before in 2022 in the EU RETALT project: link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Here is the lander frame. Haven't removed solder flux yet. Quite challenging tonget everything at right angles and making nice solder joints.
December 31, 2024 at 12:03 PM
Here is the lander frame. Haven't removed solder flux yet. Quite challenging tonget everything at right angles and making nice solder joints.
Just for fun I went with a Star Trek LCARS inspired display style
December 27, 2024 at 10:03 PM
Just for fun I went with a Star Trek LCARS inspired display style