I often get asked by friends and folks via email and other discussions what websites I like to read? What are some good rocket sites? What are cool technology sites? Where do you get your news of the industry, or how do you keep up with everything going on in the business? I am updating my website with new links to my favorite websites finally. These are in no particular order.

Space Stuff

SpaceTransportNews.com at HobbySpace by Clark Lindsey. This site covers the gamut of things happening in the space industry, from small space start-ups to far-out ideas, from successes to failures. It is also a good place to see what people are thinking and doing in the industry.

NASASpaceFlight.com This site is a well rounded and concise of roundup of serious aerospace stuff going on.

AmateurRocketry.net This is a great site if you are getting into space or rockets and want a place to find technical references, blogs, and a community that also possesses the same passion you do. Beware of of being sucked into too many deep discussions and not having any time to go to the shop to build anything real that may or may not work. Only pushing a button and making fire can truly tell your story. Great website and resource.

SpaceNews.com Similar website to Space.com but less clutter and bells and whistles.

Space.com this is good for the top aerospace news stories. The site is a little busy for a hand held device, but lots of information. A good resource site.

Not all space stuff

DesignNews.com I have been reading DN for years in magazine format. It is a great place to see how industry is applying the latest engineering and real world solutions to all sorts of products in all areas. It is a great read and place to stimulate your thinking and to help you stay ahead in the technology race. The website format is also less clunky than paper!

Riding rockets

Some folks know that I am working on a peroxide rocket belt that I hope to complete by the end of 2011. I was well on my way to getting it done a few years ago and got a call from an airplane pilot in England who wanted to buy everything I had. I sold all my parts. i.e. gas generator, regulators, valves, tanks, throttle grips, etc. Anyways, I get asked from time to time what I think is a good site or place to read, and I have to say I like wikipedia. This is a fairly good reference that I can send folks interested in rocket belt history.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_Rocket_Belt

I have played around with other propulsion systems that used air, water, Kool-Aid, and about anything else I can generate thrust. My new rocketbelt that runs on HTP will allow me to fly for up to 44 seconds depending on how heavy I get between now and test flights.

RocketMan’s Rocket Belt page I like the look of this website. It has some cool pictures. Ky is also a friend of mine. I think Ky has done some cool stuff over the years. Ky has done a lot with HTP in the early days including exceeding 200 mph on a rocket sled. My hat is off to Ky!

JetLev This is a cool website. These folks have taken the principles of traditional jetpack flight mechanics and applied them to a system based on water. The Jet-lev system is cool and offers the rider a flight experience longer than the traditional Bell rocket belts of 22 seconds.

RealRocketMan This website was the dream of my good friend Glen May who passed away a few years ago. Glen had a vision for ushering in an era of barnstorming with rockets. His passion drove him to driving great distances to meat other people in the industry who had the vision, drive, or hardware to fulfill his dream of barnstorming. Glen and I built the 1st rocket bike at my 1st man cave in Madison, Alabama back in the mid 90’s. He was the 1st pilot and would later go to build several hybrid powered things to ride. We had some great times building, testing, and yes, riding rockets!