40Tech

Forget the internet. Forget a fancy new smartphone or crazy new tablet. I want a rocket. You read me right. A rocket. Apparently civilian spaceflight is all the rage these days and I want in!

The latest development in firing regular folks into space happened Friday afternoon at about 3PM Danish time, as the non-profit, OPEN SOURCE group, Copenhagen Suborbitals launched a rocket into space. There was nobody in it — this time — but there could have been, and they are now one giant leap closer to that day.

The launch wasn’t all roses. They had some engine problems in the beginning, and some parachute problems at the end — overall, though, it was a huge success. Read on for a few images and a video of the launch.

This is about the coolest thing I have ever seen. I know I’ve said that before, but it’s a graduating scale — and this made my geek-self tingle and grin like a fool!

Father and son Luke and Max Geissbühler, from out Brooklyn way, popped an iPhone and an HD camcorder into a polystyrene container, wrapped it up in hand warmers to keep it alive in the upper stratosphere, attached it to a giant helium balloon and sent it into space…