this post was submitted on 16 May 2025
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Kiwi-built amateur rocket reaches space: 'Pretty amazing' (www.1news.co.nz)
submitted 2 weeks ago by otters_raft@lemmy.ca to c/newzealand@lemmy.nz
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A Kiwi-built amateur rocket is believed to have set a record as not just the country's first but one of the fastest launched into space — all with home brewed beer and gin onboard.

Meraki II, a 4-metre long rocket, launched near Arthur's Pass on April 19, reaching a peak altitude of 121.6km.

The two-stage rocket travelled at mind-boggling speeds of up to Mach 5.6, or around 1.9 kilometres a second — fast enough to cover the distance between Cape Reinga and Bluff in just over 12 minutes.

"It's the first successful amateur non-US spaceshot, and the new velocity record-holder"

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[–] medicsofanarchy@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago

I get that this is an NZ article, but now I need to download a Kiwi-to-English translator:

"Fast enough to cover the distance between Cape Reinga and Bluff in just over 12 Wallaby-hoots. The rocket was powered by using a typical crateful of Karambalite mix, taken straight from a used spagolant that had bashtunes just lying around."

[–] BruceAlrighty@lemmy.nz 2 points 2 weeks ago

And to think if he'd fired it sideways, he'd not even be 1/20th of the way to hitting Australia. Not that I condone shooting valuable alcohol at them.

[–] Dave@lemmy.nz 1 points 2 weeks ago

From the video you can tell that thing was rocketing along right from the start. It was really flying!