This is an artistic impression of the rover that we designed for our final BSc project. It is designed to fulfill the requirements for the Google Lunar X-Prize.

More info at: reachforthemoon.nl

This is a sample image for the project that I have been working on. Basicly the project goal is to see if Synthetic aperture radar images can be used to monitor tidal flats. The region of interest is the Waddenzee in the Netherlands. For the project we received 121 images that were taken since 1992. The raw data has to be extracted and converted to amplitudes. Using these amplitudes we can make images. As you can tell from the picture, you dont actually get a true color image but merely a representation of how much light is reflected back to the satellite.

This was taken during the flight test. This was probably the best flight test that we have been allowed to do. The idea was to experience the aircraft’s eigenmotions. Basicly that means that the pilot tries to create an unstable situation and then releases the controls to see what the aircraft does. Usually this should result in the aircraft returning to a stable condition. We tested the short period, phugoid, dutch roll, and spiral. In the Cessna Citation II all these modes are stable except for the spiral. The dutch roll was probably the most fun to do.

These pictures were taken at a lecuter organized by the RVD. The first picture is of the first dutch astronaut Wubbo Ockels. The keynote speech was given by the second man on the moon, Buzz Aldrin. The speech was interesting, with some fun anecdotes. For example that Buzz had said something to the effect of “we are number one for takeoff.” We is of course funny, since you really didn’t expect any other space ships on the moon. And the one that the Dutch media had a field day with, that the flag had fallen over during takeoff and the fact that they had not told anyone about it. However, unless I misunderstood, they did tell them eventually upon arrival back on earth.