KUCHING: Once the first-ever 3D printed rocket in Sarawak is ready,
it will be launched to outer space.
Invented by 18-year-old Yang He Lin, the 75cm tall rocket or “rockoon” (which means that during its launch the rocket is assisted by weather balloons) can reach an altitude of 108,000 feet (33km to 34km). It will have a satellite and equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS).
Yang’s science and technology project receives assistance and support from Digital Economy Hub (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd (DEH), a private company that has a hub equipped with cutting edge
technology to assist young and talented entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into business.
“My rockoon which can be called ‘Low Satellite Level Project’ is aimed at capturing earth images from space,” he said during a sharing session at DEH by Jalan Song here yesterday.
When asked what inspired him to create the rocket, Yang said he had always been fascinated with science and technology which led to his interest in building rockets.
“I’m not very good in academics, except for science subject itself. A friend suggested that I create my own rocket and that was where the idea came about,” he said.
Unlike other students who wanted to obtain good grades, Yang said instead he focused on creating science- and technology-related projects, and had even won first prize in his school science competition.
“This is one of my major projects. I had the idea in March last year when I was still in school and started building the rocket in May,” he said.
He said it took him three hours per day to work on the rocket and complete it in August last year.
“I pre-launched the rockoon in October in Matang. It went up to an altitude of 5km high,” he said.
He explained that unlike normal space rockets which use up a lot of kerosene fuels, rockoon doesn’t need that much fuel, because it is assisted by weather balloons to reach space.
“Four balloons take four hours to get the rocket reach 30km high. After the balloons burst, the rocket is launched up three kilometres more to reach space in nine seconds and the satellite is transported from there,” he said, adding that he could monitor the satellite by phone and a computer.
The 4cm x 4cm x 5cm satellite includes other equipment such as a micro controller, power system, temperature sensor, gyro sensor, and a 1cm micro recording camera.
“Now I am waiting for the permit to launch it in space. I am more than excited and can’t wait for that moment,” he said.
DEB will be helping Yang to get the approval from the authorities to launch his rockoon. The process will need to go through the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM), Ministry of Defence, and international space agencies first.
Yang completed his Form 6 at Chung Hua Middle School No.1, and will be going to Tallin University of Technology in Estonia on September to get his degree in robotics.
Both of his parents are from China. His father is doing business in Malaysia, and Yang has been studying in Kuching.
Looking up to great inventors such as Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla as his idols, Yang also invented his own flying drone, underwater drone, Tesla coil, writing machine, flexible LED screen, and auto plant watering system.
