The team mounted and sealed electrodes in acrylic tubes for the next round of ignition test. They now need end caps a ceramic nozzle and the O2 hookup.

Last night the team installed the new CO2 scrubber mounting system and power busses. Then following it up with power up and testing. System upgrades are always great training opportunities.

The things one finds in the JP Aerospace parking lot. Our Argo balloon chase vehicle having just finished up a test drive after getting new brakes.

Space Kitten Christmas edition Mug!!! The perfect Christmas gift for the spacer in your life! (and for you too!) dark-sky-market.myshopify.co…

New Video! youtube.com/shorts/bIADTVknw… Testing helium airship valve on the edge.

We want to shift to liquid helium for both our current balloon operations as well as in flight refill that's critical for Dark Sky Station operations. The Air Force successful tested both in 1977. Notice that instead of a semi-truck load of gaseous helium it's a pickup truck.

Forgotten aircraft. The Aereon 26 Dynairship. Inflight 1971.

New Video! youtu.be/19IS1PBCoZw?si=MhX8… The see thru rocket engine. The new ignition tests for the plasma/MHD engine.

Just a late night moment at JP Aerospace. Bryan working away on the Argo, our balloon recovery vehicle.

This is the moment of ignition in slow motion from both cameras.

We're doing ignition tests for our RF induction system on our plasma rocket engine. In these we're using a small acrylic/O2 hybrid engine & trying different ignition methods. This one we used a 30,000 volt spark generator & a cotton ball. We ran the engine for 120 seconds.

Air Beams! Our carbon trusses are light but air beam are lighter at the large scales we're planning.

Making carbon fiber airship parts. Plug to mold to assemble to component.

More pics from the fan art/sim Bellavia Island.

Wow!

Testing RF components for our plasma rocket engine.

Birds of a feather and steel. The Thunderbirds were practicing for an airshow last week right above our shop. During the passes they were sharing the sky with some of the locals.

New Video! youtu.be/DqE6hg8jfms?si=NgFM… What's happening with Bellavia.

Making models. At every step I make a model. It helps to hold what you're making in your hand. Even if you know (especially so) it's going to change tomorrow and the next day and the next.

Building a new way to space. One vehicle at a time. The Ascender 9 floating in the hangar.