Imagine it: A private sector rocket lifts off from an island in the Kingdom of Tonga. Aboard are ten small, low cost satellites ready to be dispensed in earth orbit. This is the real thing my friend: Escape velocity and true orbital space flight!
Interorbital Systems is working on satellite launch vehicles and minsats (miniature satellites). Long range plans are for manned space flight. The launches will take place from Eau, an island in Tonga.
I work as a project volunteer at Interorbital Systems (IOS). In the picture below, I am standing to the far left. Next to me is Randa Milliron, the CEO of IOS. Standing next to Randa is His Majesty King George V, the King of Tonga.
Continuing on to the right, is Rod Milliron, a genius rocket scientist. Next to Rod is my son Stephen and his friends Carol and Walter. Dave, James, and Angela are to the far right side. We are standing in front of a mockup of a six person IOS space vehicle. The King came to the US for a formal State visit and toured IOS. The Secret Service and CHP entourage arrived and it was all an incredibly exciting royal visit. King George V has a tremendous passion for technology and space. He has granted his permission for IOS to launch satellites from Tonga.
Contact me if you want to discuss putting a small payload into space from an IOS launch. Minsats are ideal for small university zero-g experiments. The minsats radio back the data to a ground station. Costs are very reasonable.
Copyrighted images used with permission of Interorbital Systems.
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There is an incredible amount of rocket history in Southern California. Jack Parsons was one of the Founders of the Jet Propulsion Labs and an incredibly brilliant inventor of rocket fuels. Born Marvel Whitesides Parsons, Jack worked for Theodore Von Karman. Jack often worked in the arroyo out behind the buildings. Those guys literally had to create
things that did not exist. They were pioneers.
