The countdown has begun for Saturday’s blast-off of the home-made HEAT 1X TYCHO BRAHE space rocket, which arrived in Nexø on Bornholm yesterday.

The rocket, constructed by Peter Madsen and Kristian von Bengtsson of Copenhagen Suborbitals, is to be towed out to its ramp in the Baltic Sea by Madsen’s equally home-constructed submarine Nautilus.

The Tycho Brahe rocket and capsule, named after the 16th century Danish astronomer of the same name, has taken space enthusiast Madsen, former NASA employee von Bengtsson and an army of volunteers two and a half years to test and build.

The goal of Saturday’s test – weather permitting – is to send the rocket and a capsule with a dummy inside 30 kilometres into the atmosphere. Madsen hopes that if all goes according to plan and following further test flights in the future, he will eventually swap places with the dummy and blast off 140 kilometres into space.

Saturday’s trial will, among other things, test whether the craft’s parachute works.

The rocket is powered by a combination of rubber and liquid oxygen fuel which will be loaded at the last moment in order to avoid evaporation.

The Danish Naval Reserve vessel Hjortø will be acting as operational centre for the blast-off, which will be taking place in a maritime military target practice area east of Bornholm.

Saturday’s weather is particularly important as strong winds can cause choppy seas which would force a postponement. Blast-off will also have to be postponed if an unsuspecting vessel steams into the area. Copenhagen Suborbitals has until Sept. 17 to carry out its test blast-off.