Courtesy of Todayinsci.com:

In 1954, a sled powered by six rockets with a human rider reached 421 mph, running 3,550-ft on heavy rails mounted in concrete at rails at Holloman Air Force Base, Alamogordo, NM. It was the effects of braking from such speed that was being studied. Known as the “abrupt deceleration vehicle,” it was built by the Northrup Aircraft, Inc., to simulate the effects on pilots bailing out of airplanes travelling at supersonic speeds. It was braked rapidly by water scooped in vents in the bottom of the sled from a trough five feet wide and 18 inches deep. Riding on the sled to test the effect of sudden deceleration was Lt. Col. John Paul Stapp, chief of the Aero Medical Field Laboratory at the base. By year’s end, tests increased speed to 632 mph.

I found a video on youtube of this moment imbedded in a japanese clip on land speed. It’s worth a look. It’s amusing that the comment section is full of people mentioning the rocket sled scene in indiana jones 4 and even more shocking is people are admitting they loved that movie. Different strokes for different folks, I guess. Here’s the video:

And here is a bonus moment. I am really surprised that it took so long to for England to get one:

In 1958, Britain’s first planetarium, the London Planetarium, opened in the west wing of Madame Tussaud’s. It is one of the world’s largest. The site used was that of the former Cinema and Restaurant added in 1929, that had been destroyed by a German bomb in 1940.

Remember during the election the republicans were mocking  planetariums calling them theaters and evidence of pork barrel spending? sigh….

I haven’t been to one since I lived in Boston, when I went to listen to arena rock bands like led zeppelin and radiohead, and did not actually go for the stars. I wonder if the Hayden planetarium uses the latest digital technology? An imax planetarium would be outstanding.

Well, lookee what the old google found for me. The hayden planetarium site has a  universe atlas download, meaning you can download their digital atlas of the universe and explore at home.  They also have a state of the art setup now at the planetarium.  Lectures and meetings are on the first and last tuesday of the month. ummmm amazing? Here is the ticket info.

i’m gonna download the universe and look around. Nothing is getting done today.