Robot attacking school kids, Mars Society Australia
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Who would let me command their hi tech robot? People who don't know me very well! Haha
Alex Foreman, member of Mars Society Australia
The Mars Society was founded by one of my heroes, grumpy American genius Rocket Engineer Robert Zubrin. He really made the case for why humankind must expand into space. I've been a member and helped for at least 8 years.
Australia is a great place to do Mars research, it even looks like Mars! I've had a lot of fun and learned a lot in this very interesting group. Today I got to play pranks with a robot built by very smart kids.
FIRST Robotic's Competition student made Robot, being demonstrated at the Mars Society
A group of highly talented students from Pembroke School made a presentation to us at the Mars Society. They certainly impressed, detailing their first robot built in just 6 days for practice!
Team Koalafied #6996 pose in front of their awesome first Robot, built in just 6 days
Attacking spectators
The team were silly enough to let me command their robot. It was very responsive, so I used it to attack and frighten onlookers. Quite a few of them were running, jumping and yelling in shock as the mechanical beast barrelled towards them, then reversed at the last second. I had a great time! Hahaha! Secretly I think they did too...
Starchaser Marsupial Mars Rover - Space 4x4 caravan
The MSA don't just let me torment schoolkids and onlookers then feed me delicious food. They do all sorts of cool stuff, from helping develop new space gadgets to providing free education, to hanging out with rocket engineers and NASA people (who are no where near as boring as you might think). Today branch coordinator Marcia Tanner announced that the half finished MSA Marsupial Mars rover project was being handed to our branch.
Specs and cross section for the Marsupial rover
Mars Society Desert Research Station, too much walking
The Marsupial rover is designed as a functioning analogue rover for use in analogue research stations, made in Australia. It is also a cool vehicle that could be used at science shows and schools to impress the kids with fresh gadgets. Just needs someone to get it finished, then we can design awesome space dirtbikes to make rocketing to Mars even more fun!
Depiction of Marsupial in operation
Space junk solar powered rockets
Some of the MSA members are crew for Neumann Space. They were telling me how they are building new hi-tech rockets that use solar power and space junk for fuel. What an awesome idea! These hardcore rockets are propelled by metal propellant, are good for the space environment and are very very fast. I hope to see these Australian made thrusters in action!
Space junk powered electric thruster, "Neumann Drive"
Why do I care about space?
Not just because it's cool and extremely adventurous! The move into space is really important for the human race to have a positive future!
Alex Foreman filming a presentation by Robert Zubrin
This is the explanation that sold me on the importance of space. Zubrin might be grumpy, but he is right:
Rang my ex today to speak to my daughter Aurelia. Got no reply. Sent her a text message asking to speak to her for fathers day. Got no reply. Then sent my ex the picture below. Got no reply to that either, but had the awareness that the picture was seen and not well received. I really miss my daughter. I had a really good, warm and loving relationship with her. I was aware that my ex was hard at work trying to destroy that but I kept encouraging my daughter to have a good relationship with her mother. I warned my daughter about what my ex was doing and why. Unfortunately the brainwashing eventually worked. Even after years of working in high security prison, I cannot for the life of me understand how people can be so evil and cruel. The worst part is, my ex openly admits that she is cruel and is proud of it. I love you sweety, even if Mum won't let me say it to you. Alex Foreman and Aurelia Foreman, Flinders Private Hospital UPDATE 8th September Attended a friend...
A lot of people have been asking me to start this blog, so here it goes. As a child I made a life changing decision. I decided that my life was going to be awesome, that I would earn the freedoms I was born with as an Australian, and that I would die having made a difference in the world. Initially I lived up to that promise. As a teenager I spent time on Balbarini Station in the Northern Territory and grew up rough. By the age of 16, while still in high school, I had my pilots licence and my adventures really began. I flew to Kangaroo island, and all the way up the coast to the Whitsunday islands. Alex Foreman, age 18, flying a Cherokee Piper Archer II across Australia Alex Foreman, age 16, with Regina Foreman, Whitsunday Islands flight Around this time my passion for motorcycling also began. My mate Bill lent me his bike, a crappy GPZ250 where a part would fall off on every ride. After doing my rider-safe course, I yelled with joy when I first expe...
I'm really loving the Hobie. Decided to call her "Savage" since she's based on a traditional Polonesian boat used by savage cannibles. I challenged myself to do the entire Moorochy River, traversing mud flats, swamps, low bridges, strong currents, narrow passes and impenetrable forests on either shore. Mosquito swarms in Dunethin Swamp bit right through my cloths The mosquitoes were ridiculous. At sunset they formed clouds and there was no escape! Cloths did nothing to stop them. The bastards savaged me big time! I had to constantly switch between sailing, peddling and paddling as the nature of the river changed. Low power lines and extremely low bridges meant that my mast had to be dropped repeatedly. No place to get the boat ashore Wind and current were against me and my paddle broke so I had to abandon the attempt and failed to traverse the entire river. I will make another attempt when wind and tide are in my favor. To achieve my ch...
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