The Register® — Biting the hand that feeds IT

Feeds

LOHAN doomsday box dubbed BRASTRAP

Snappy elastic backronym wins RockBLOCK Iridium satellite comms unit

5 ways to reduce advertising network latency

The results of our reader poll are in, and we're delighted to report that our Low Orbit Helium Assisted Navigator (LOHAN) doomsday box will forthwith be officially known as the Big Red Abort Switch To Release Aerial Payload, aka BRASTRAP.

Dave Akerman's emergency cut-down box

So, it's congratulations to reader Steve Davis for his winning effort, which secures him a RockBLOCK Iridium satellite comms unit, courtesy of our chums down at Rock Seven.

Top and bottom views of the RockBLOCK

BRASTRAP was the clear winner of our poll, securing 400 votes. Chuck McManis's suggestion MILEY (Manually Initiated LOHAN Emergency Yield) was second with 117 thumbs up, while Daniel Reader-Powell secured 103 votes and third spot with TWERK (Terminal Wireless Emergency Rockblock Killswitch).

Thanks to everyone who participated, and remember that Rock Seven is offering all Reg readers a 10 per cent discount on the RockBLOCK until the end of September.

Proceed here, throw a Rockblock into your shopping basket, and use the code REGISTER2013 to claim your discount.

For anyone wondering what all this tomfoolery is about, BRASTRAP will, if required in case of emergency, command the mission's onboard Iridium-Arduino sandwich to cut down the helium-filled balloon carrying our Vulture 2 spaceplane aloft.

As you can see from the above photo, there's a key switch to power BRASTRAP up, at which point the red LED lights to show "power on and booting". The amber LED indicates RockBLOCK connection status. To command the abort, LOHAN team member Dave "Blofeld" Akerman will lift the toggle switch cover, and hold the switch up while simultaneously pressing the red abort button.

The green LED will flash to confirm the cut-down command has been sent, then light continuously when the the deed is done. There's more on the abort set-up here.

Now, if you'll excuse me, the LOHAN team touches down in Madrid this evening, so I'm off to Barajas Airport to collect our elite ballocket squad. ®


Further LOHAN resources:

  • New to LOHAN? Try this mission summary for enlightenment.
  • You can find full LOHAN coverage right here.
  • Join the expert LOHAN debate down at Reg forums.
  • All the LOHAN and Paper Aircraft Released Into Space (PARIS) vids live on YouTube.
  • For our SPB photo archive, proceed directly to Flickr.
  • We sometimes indulge in light consensual tweeting, as you can see here.

LOHAN - A Special Projects Bureau production in association with...

  • 3T RPD logo
  • University of Southampton logo
  • Applied Vacuum Engineering logo
  • Escher Technologies
  • Flashpoint Fireworks logo
  • HAB Supplies logo
  • Rock 7 logo

Paper Aircraft Released Into Space

Supercharge your infrastructure

Whitepapers

5 ways to reduce advertising network latency
Implementing the tactics laid out in this whitepaper can help reduce your overall advertising network latency.
Reg Reader Research: SaaS based Email and Office Productivity Tools
Read this Reg reader report which provides advice and guidance for SMBs towards the use of SaaS based email and Office productivity tools.
Email delivery: 4 steps to get more email to the inbox
This whitepaper lists some steps and information that will give you the best opportunity to achieve an amazing sender reputation.
High Performance for All
While HPC is not new, it has traditionally been seen as a specialist area – is it now geared up to meet more mainstream requirements?
5 ways to prepare your advertising infrastructure for disaster
Being prepared allows your brand to greatly improve your advertising infrastructure performance and reliability that, in the end, will boost confidence in your brand.

More from The Register

next story
IPCC: Yes, humans are definitely behind all this global warming we aren't having
Prof: 'We're confident because we're confident'. Whoa, slow down, egghead
Our magnificent Vulture 2 spaceplane: Intimate snaps
Inside the world's first 3D-printed, rocket-powered aircraft
Is this the silicon chip KILLER? Boffins boot up carbon-nanotube CPU
Lump of posh coal runs MIPS code like it's 1946
SpaceX Falcon boosts to glory from Vandenberg space force base
As rival Cygnus podule finally docks at space station
'Modern warming trend can't be found' in new climate study
Little Ice Age and Medieval Warm did show up, however
WET SPOT found on MARS: NASA rover says 'high percentage'
NASA's hungry robot chomps on not-so-dusty surface
Google's robot army learns Spanish
La rebelión de las máquinas
ZERO-G DINOSAUR made from bits and bobs by space station flight engineer
Cuddly tyrannosaur crafted from Russian food podules
Deep Impact succumbs to 'HAL bug' as glitch messes with antenna
Dave? Our AE-35 unit equivalent is out of alignment
prev story