Derek the teddy bear returns to earth after space mission (From Daily Echo)
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Derek the teddy bear returns to earth after space mission
4:13pm Sunday 3rd March 2013 in News By Ed Stilliard, Senior Reporter
Derek the teddy bear returns to earth after space mission
A HAMPSHIRE teddy bear called Derek has made a successful voyage into space - and returned unscathed.
Derek the Steiff teddy was sent into the great unknown at the end of a Helium balloon, equipped with a camera and GPS tracking.
He went 33kms into the air above the New Forest, dressed in a silver space suit, and fell back down to earth this afternoon near Chichester.
His adventure was part of an experience by Toynbee School Science Club and the University of Southampton in a bid to observe how conditions change the further you are from the Earth’s surface.
Derek was fitted with trackers and sensing equipment to record information about temperature and pressure, as well as tracking information about his decent.
"He came down exactly where he the prediction said he would come down."
Comments(11)
solomum
says...
6:48pm Sun 3 Mar 13
OSPREYSAINT wrote:I think the more errors made, the bigger their bonuses because they all seem to be competing to see who can make the most errors.
At least it was a succesful descent unlike the Echo spelling.
Derek was fitted with trackers and sensing equipment to record information about temperature and pressure, as well as tracking information about his decent.
"He came down exactly where he the prediction said he would come down."
Maybe but not in the New Forest where the Echo predicted earlier
OSPREYSAINT
says...
7:38pm Sun 3 Mar 13
chrisja wrote:Imagine the Insurance claim? Skull fracture as a result of being hit by a teddy bear that had plumetted from 33Kms above.
When are these complete and utter MORONS going to realise allowing things to plummet from the sky at terminal velocity endangers lives. These 'experiments' have already been done and do not need to be repeated - just go to YouTube and watch someone else's video of their balloon going up. Stop taking liberties with people's safety...
bazzeroz
says...
10:11pm Sun 3 Mar 13
mike in bassett
says...
10:34pm Sun 3 Mar 13
chrisja wrote:It wouldn't have plummeted from the sky, as it would have had a parachute on.
When are these complete and utter MORONS going to realise allowing things to plummet from the sky at terminal velocity endangers lives. These 'experiments' have already been done and do not need to be repeated - just go to YouTube and watch someone else's video of their balloon going up. Stop taking liberties with people's safety...
There are also various permissions that are required for sending up such a balloon meaning it should be done in a safe manner.
Jubburban
says...
10:43pm Sun 3 Mar 13
chrisja wrote:If you go to Youtube yourself you will notice they use parachutes to come back down to earth, they don't just fall from 33km if they did there would be nothing left of Derek the teddy...... These experiments are a good way of teaching young children to learn hardly moronic is it. It helps to keep their attention with the end goal
When are these complete and utter MORONS going to realise allowing things to plummet from the sky at terminal velocity endangers lives. These 'experiments' have already been done and do not need to be repeated - just go to YouTube and watch someone else's video of their balloon going up. Stop taking liberties with people's safety...
Stephen J
says...
10:43pm Sun 3 Mar 13
chrisja wrote:It's shockingly reckless isn't it? After all, the Met Office launches about 3000 such balloons every year of which about, err, two cause a problem, like a broken conservatory window. Ban it and everything else inspiring and interesting immediately.
When are these complete and utter MORONS going to realise allowing things to plummet from the sky at terminal velocity endangers lives. These 'experiments' have already been done and do not need to be repeated - just go to YouTube and watch someone else's video of their balloon going up. Stop taking liberties with people's safety...
IronLady2010
says...
1:19am Mon 4 Mar 13
Not sure how I'd feel if some strange teddy with gadgets attached landed in my garden. But still! Better than an alien landing I guess.
OSPREYSAINT
says...
9:19am Mon 4 Mar 13
Stephen J wrote:What if it got contaminated with them there cosmetic rays, it could be lethal.
chrisja wrote:It's shockingly reckless isn't it? After all, the Met Office launches about 3000 such balloons every year of which about, err, two cause a problem, like a broken conservatory window. Ban it and everything else inspiring and interesting immediately.
When are these complete and utter MORONS going to realise allowing things to plummet from the sky at terminal velocity endangers lives. These 'experiments' have already been done and do not need to be repeated - just go to YouTube and watch someone else's video of their balloon going up. Stop taking liberties with people's safety...
Jerry Parsons
says...
1:06pm Mon 4 Mar 13
bazzeroz wrote:Use Chrome as browser
Hey, DE. Can you get any more bl00dy adverts onto a page? Your pages are the longest to load and they look stupid with all the flashing ads. Sort yourselves out!
& add in AdBlock.
DE is much quicker now w/o adverts..
bazzeroz
says...
7:23pm Mon 4 Mar 13
Jerry Parsons wrote:Just found one for Firefox. Fingers crossed.
bazzeroz wrote:Use Chrome as browser
Hey, DE. Can you get any more bl00dy adverts onto a page? Your pages are the longest to load and they look stupid with all the flashing ads. Sort yourselves out!
& add in AdBlock.
DE is much quicker now w/o adverts..
OSPREYSAINT says...
5:00pm Sun 3 Mar 13
Derek was fitted with trackers and sensing equipment to record information about temperature and pressure, as well as tracking information about his decent.
"He came down exactly where he the prediction said he would come down."
Maybe but not in the New Forest where the Echo predicted earlier