Top Gear Reliant Robin Shuttle Explodes After Separation Failure

Top Gear

Explosive bolts connecting the vehicle to its central fuel tank failed to release after booster separation, sending the orbiter into an unrecoverable dive that ended in a catastrophic hillside explosion.

AI-assisted summary of Turning the Robin Reliant into a SPACE SHUTTLE?! | Top Gear — original source. Check the original for full context.

Source published: 2008-12-18

Key ideas

Richard Hammond and James May attempted to turn a lightweight Reliant Robin into a reusable space shuttle, creating the largest and most powerful non-commercial rocket project in European history. (0:01)
The rocket stack required twelve times the thrust of Top Gear's previous rocket Mini stunt to overcome the Robin's poor aerodynamic profile. (1:20)
Subscale glider testing demonstrated that the wing-equipped Robin lacked adequate glide performance, entering an immediate nose-dive and crashing during trials. (4:50)
Despite a flawless launch and clean separation of both solid rocket boosters, the vehicle failed to detach from its central fuel tank and was destroyed upon impacting a hillside. (8:10)

Detailed notes

## Background Published on YouTube by the official Top Gear channel on December 18, 2008, this video features presenters Richard Hammond and James May attempting an audacious engineering stunt. According to the page description, the duo sets out to discover whether a Reliant Robin could serve as a viable space shuttle, questioning if they can get it safely back onto the ground after launch.

## TL;DR Hammond and May collaborate with rocketry engineers from Manchester to convert a lightweight, three-wheeled Reliant Robin into a reusable space shuttle orbiter attached to massive solid rocket boosters and a central external fuel tank. Wind tunnel evaluations and scale-model flight tests reveal abysmal aerodynamic properties, but the full-scale assembly is nevertheless transported to a military facility for launch. The vehicle achieves a spectacular, stable vertical liftoff and successfully jettisons its twin booster rockets. However, an explosive bolt failure prevents the orbiter from separating from the external fuel tank, sending the entire stack into a steep nose-dive that culminates in a massive, fiery hillside explosion.

## Atmosphere & style The segment balances classic Top Gear comedic banter with genuine, palpable tension as a whimsical joke evolves into an awe-inspiring, high-stakes aerospace experiment. Viewers experience an emotional rollercoaster that moves from lighthearted wind tunnel antics to quiet dread beneath the towering launch gantry, capped by the heart-pounding rush of a textbook liftoff. The triumphant cheer of a successful initial climb abruptly shifts into helpless shouting as the staging sequence malfunctions, ending on the bittersweet, dry British irony of total destruction.

## Bulletin - [00:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=1s) Richard Hammond and James May attempted to turn a lightweight Reliant Robin into a reusable space shuttle, creating the largest and most powerful non-commercial rocket project in European history. - [01:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=80s) The rocket stack required twelve times the thrust of Top Gear's previous rocket Mini stunt to overcome the Robin's poor aerodynamic profile. - [04:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=290s) Subscale glider testing demonstrated that the wing-equipped Robin lacked adequate glide performance, entering an immediate nose-dive and crashing during trials. - [08:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=490s) Despite a flawless launch and clean separation of both solid rocket boosters, the vehicle failed to detach from its central fuel tank and was destroyed upon impacting a hillside.

## Key takeaways - [00:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=1s) Top Gear set out to build a fully functional, reusable space shuttle using a lightweight, three-wheeled Reliant Robin as the orbiter. - [00:35](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=35s) Rocket engineers from Manchester were recruited to design and build the complex propulsion and staging hardware. - [01:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=80s) The project became the largest and most powerful non-commercial rocket launch ever attempted in Europe. - [01:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=105s) Engineers warned that the Reliant Robin possessed the worst possible aerodynamic shape for rocket flight. - [02:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=120s) The flight profile required vertical launch, automated jettison of twin solid rocket boosters, separation from the main fuel tank, and an unpowered remote-controlled glide landing. - [02:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=140s) Model aviation specialists were contracted to build scale prototypes and pilot the orbiter via radio control upon descent. - [03:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=222s) Wind tunnel tests at the University of the West of England highlighted major aerodynamic turbulence and questionable lift capability. - [04:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=290s) A scale glider test model proved the vehicle had a catastrophic glide ratio, crashing immediately upon release from a tow plane. - [06:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=360s) The complete stack was assembled vertically on a launch gantry at a secure military facility. - [07:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=470s) The rocket achieved a flawless initial vertical climb thousands of feet into the air. - [08:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=490s) The twin solid rocket boosters successfully separated from the main stack as programmed. - [08:25](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=505s) The explosive bolts connecting the Reliant Robin to the central external fuel tank failed to release at apogee. - [08:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=525s) Trapped against the weight of the fuel tank, the vehicle entered an unrecoverable dive and exploded on a distant hillside at terminal velocity.

## Detailed walkthrough ### [00:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=1s) The Concept and the Manchester Rocket Engineers

The Reliant Robin has been a fixture of British motoring for three decades, but for twenty-nine of those years, it has been widely regarded as a running joke. Richard Hammond and James May propose to turn that reputation on its head by discovering whether the lightweight, three-wheeled vehicle has the makings of a spacecraft. Because the Robin is inexpensive, exceptionally light, and naturally tapers to a point, it seems to share basic design cues with a rocket. Rather than simply strapping fireworks to the chassis and launching it into oblivion, they set out to build the most technically demanding spacecraft known to engineering: a reusable space shuttle that must launch, separate its booster stages, and glide back to Earth under controlled guidance for a runway landing.

To turn this vision into reality, Hammond and May enlist rocket experts from Manchester to build the stack. Meeting in an industrial workshop, Hammond outlines the ambitious operational requirements, stressing that while nobody will ride aboard the unmanned craft, it must faithfully replicate the mechanics of a real shuttle launch to test the engineering principles. Hammond optimistically pitches the stakes, declaring, “If you can make all this work and we can bring it into this controlled landing, we will probably get funding from the EU for a proper space mission.” The lead engineer immediately balks at the scale of the challenge, asking if they have a spare billion dollars lying around. Hammond quips that they specifically sought out northern engineers because they could pull off the impossible on a shoestring budget of ten and six, provided there is unlimited tea and chips fried in lard.

The engineers quickly bring harsh physics into the equation. While a Reliant Robin is considered a featherweight road car, it represents a gargantuan payload in the rocketry world, demanding approximately twelve times the propulsive power used in Top Gear's previous rocket-powered Mini stunt. The resulting stack will become the largest and most powerful non-commercial rocket ever launched in Europe. To make matters worse, its blunt profile makes it an aerodynamic nightmare for space flight. When May defensively argues that the car is naturally suited for rocketry because it tapers to a point at the front end, the lead rocket engineer bluntly counters, “As a rocket, it's the most awful shape it could ever be.”

- **Engine power target:** Roughly twelve times the thrust utilized in the Top Gear rocket Mini stunt. - **Record classification:** The most powerful and largest non-commercial rocket project in European history. - **Flight plan:** Vertical liftoff, automated jettison of dual solid rocket boosters (SRBs), separation of the external fuel tank, and an unpowered remote-controlled glide to a safe landing.

[02:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=140s) Scale, Hardware, and Remote Control Flying

Recognizing that flying a modified road car back to Earth is well beyond their skill set, Hammond places a cold call to *Model Aeroplane Monthly* to track down specialized remote-control guidance equipment and an expert pilot capable of handling the orbiter once it detaches from the booster assembly. Back at the fabrication shop, Hammond gets his first look at the actual launch hardware and is stunned by the physical magnitude of the components. Staring at an enormous white cylinder, he discovers that it is merely one of two solid rocket boosters (SRBs)—and it has not even had its nose cone fitted yet. Hammond admits that he had naively pictured something akin to a large firework on a stick, only to find industrial-grade aerospace rocketry staring back at him.

May points out that the twin SRBs are not even the largest part of the assembly. Towering over the boosters is the colossal central external fuel tank, packed with its own supplemental rocket motors at the base. Additional thrusters are integrated directly into the Reliant Robin itself, alongside an intricate array of computer-timed explosive bolts designed to blow the stages apart cleanly during ascent. Inspecting the maze of wiring, pyrotechnics, and structural mountings, May observes, “What occurs to me now is the list of things to go wrong is enormous.” While Hammond had spent weeks obsessing exclusively over how they would stick the landing, he suddenly realizes the overwhelming odds against the shuttle even surviving the climb to staging altitude.

```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: Reliant Robin Space Shuttle Flight Profile accDescr: Step-by-step launch, staging, and intended landing sequence of the Reliant Robin shuttle stack. subgraph Launch["Phase 1: Liftoff"] A["Ground Launch"] --> B["Dual SRBs & External Tank Fire"] end subgraph Staging["Phase 2: Separation"] B --> C["Jettison Twin SRBs"] C --> D["Explosive Bolts Release External Tank"] end subgraph Recovery["Phase 3: Descent"] D --> E["Reliant Robin Orbiter Released"] E --> F["Remote-Controlled Deadstick Glide"] F --> G["Touchdown on Runway"] end ```

[03:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=222s) Aerodynamic Testing and Steve's Glider Model

Hammond and May secure access to the wind tunnel at the University of the West of England after a groveling phone call. Operating under the cheeky assumption that free access means self-service, May steps into the airflow chamber himself, trying and failing to contort his body into the aerodynamic shape of a Reliant Robin. The silliness is halted by the arrival of two university aerodynamicists carrying a scale model of the shuttle stack. The engineers explain that they are hunting for severe aerodynamic turbulence or instability, noting that the Robin was never conceived with high-speed flight dynamics in mind. Examining the flat, symmetrical airfoil wings devoid of washout or washin, May asks whether the vehicle will actually produce lift, only to be met with complete, awkward silence from the specialists.

The aerodynamic doubts carry over to the recovery plan. Like the real NASA space shuttle orbiter, the Reliant must glide back to solid ground without engine power. Steve, the veteran model aircraft pilot recruited to fly the craft by radio control, constructs an exact scale glider model to evaluate its glide ratio. When Hammond asks how the vehicle will handle in the sky, Steve pulls no punches about the vehicle's flying characteristics: “Well, it's going to come down like a lift with a cable cut.” Steve explains that where a conventional aircraft might travel forward twenty feet for every foot of altitude it loses, the brick-like Robin inverts that ratio entirely. When the model is released from a tow plane high overhead, it promptly enters a catastrophic nose-dive and smashes into the turf, leaving Hammond openly terrified for the full-scale attempt.

- **Testing facility:** University of the West of England (UWE) wind tunnel. - **Aerodynamic configuration:** Simple symmetrical airfoil section lacking wing washout/washin. - **Standard glide ratio benchmark:** Conventional aircraft glide forward roughly 20 feet for every 1 foot of lost altitude; the Robin model exhibited an inverse plunge.

[06:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=360s) Arrival at the Launch Site

The team convenes at a top-secret military installation selected to host the launch. Arriving on a flatbed transporter, the real Reliant Robin orbiter—adorned with wings, aerodynamic cowlings, and Top Gear shuttle livery—is gingerly guided into the assembly hangar. Technicians crane the vehicle into vertical position, bolting it securely to the orange external fuel tank flanked by the massive white solid rocket boosters. Hammond and May watch from below as the full rocket assembly is raised into the vertical launch gantry, marveling at the completed machine.

Standing beneath the exhaust nozzles of the upright orbiter, the magnitude of the stunt begins to take a psychological toll. Hammond attempts to maintain an upbeat facade, insisting the mission will succeed, but May remains deeply uneasy about their history of spectacular failures. May confesses his genuine emotional investment in the project, remarking, “It's just that you know when we do these big things, they usually end in some sort of massive disaster.” Both presenters share a quiet moment on the gantry, desperately hoping that this particular endeavor will break the cycle of catastrophic Top Gear engineering endings.

[07:29](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=449s) Launch, Separation Failure, and the Final Crash

On launch day, the atmosphere at the launch control bunker is wound tight with anxiety. May jokes that the tension is so high you can practically hear Jeremy Clarkson writing gloating, sarcastic lines about them in the event of an explosion. Three life-or-death questions hang over the countdown: whether the rocket can maintain a stable trajectory on ascent, whether the explosive bolts will cleanly sever the boosters and the external fuel tank, and whether Steve—who turned down the safety of a concrete bunker in order to stand in the open with his radio transmitter—can guide the falling vehicle to a survivable landing.

``` [ Ascent ] | v [ SRB Separation ] <-- Successful | v [ External Tank Separation Failure ] <-- Bolt fails to release | v [ Steep Downward Arc ] | v [ Ground Impact & Explosion ] ```

The countdown hits zero and the rocket ignites with an ear-splitting roar, surging off the pad on a pillar of fire and smoke. The initial flight trajectory is flawless, rocketing thousands of feet into the overcast sky in a dead-straight vertical ascent that elicits ecstatic cheers from the ground crew. Right on cue, the explosive charges fire and the twin solid rocket boosters detach cleanly, tumbling away. However, disaster strikes seconds later during the second staging event: the explosive bolts connecting the Reliant Robin to the central external fuel tank fail to release. Trapped against the dead weight of the empty fuel tank, the orbiter cannot deploy its flight control surfaces or level out into a glide.

The stack arcs over at the apex of its flight and enters an accelerating, vertical dive toward the countryside. On the ground, Hammond, May, and the engineers shout helplessly at the sky, pleading, “Separate! Shoot! Shoot!” An emergency parachute charge fires at the very last second, but there is zero altitude left for the canopy to arrest the descent. The entire spacecraft impacts a distant hillside at terminal velocity, detonating in an enormous explosion that sends a massive fireball and plume of black smoke into the air. Staring across the valley at the smoldering crater where their shuttle once was, May turns to Hammond and dryly delivers the verdict: “How are you going to use it again?”

- **Initial ascent:** Flawless vertical climb following ignition from the secret military pad. - **Booster separation:** Both solid rocket boosters successfully separated on schedule. - **Critical failure:** The mechanical/explosive separation between the orbiter and the central external fuel tank failed to release. - **Result:** Complete vehicle loss in a high-speed hillside impact and explosion.

## Mentioned Reliant Robin, Top Gear, Richard Hammond, James May, Jeremy Clarkson, Steve, Model Aeroplane Monthly, University of the West of England, Mini, NASA, European Union

## Video description Hammond and May discover if the Robin Reliant would make for a viable space shuttle. Getting it off the ground won't be a problem, but can they get it to safely land again?

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中文简报

Top Gear节目罗宾航天飞机分离失败后爆炸助推器分离后，连接车体与中央燃料箱的爆炸螺栓未能释放，导致轨道飞行器陷入无法挽回的俯冲，最终在山坡发生灾难性爆炸。哈蒙德与梅与来自曼彻斯特的火箭工程师合作，将一辆轻型三轮罗宾车改造成可重复使用的航天飞机轨道飞行器，并连接了巨大的固体火箭助推器和中央外燃料箱。风洞测试和缩比模型飞行试验证明其空气动力学性能极其糟糕，但全尺寸组件仍被运往军用设施进行发射。飞行器实现了壮观且稳定的垂直升空，并成功抛弃了两个助推火箭。然而，由于爆炸螺栓出现故障，轨道器未能与外燃料箱分离，导致整个组合体急剧俯冲，最终在山坡上剧烈起火爆炸。理查德·哈蒙德和詹姆斯·梅试图将一辆轻型罗宾车改造成可重复使用的航天飞机，打造了欧洲历史上规模最大、威力最强的非商业火箭项目。 (0:01) 为克服罗宾车糟糕的空气动力学外形，该火箭组合体所需的推力是Top Gear此前火箭Mini特技的十二倍。 (1:20) 缩比滑翔机测试表明，加装机翼的罗宾车缺乏足够的滑翔性能，在试验中立即发生俯冲并坠毁。 (4:50) 尽管发射完美且两个固体火箭助推器成功分离，但飞行器未能脱离中央燃料箱，并在撞击山坡后被彻底摧毁。 (8:10)

Reading summary

Top Gear presenters Richard Hammond and James May attempted to construct a reusable space shuttle from a three-wheeled Reliant Robin, collaborating with rocket engineers to build the largest non-commercial rocket in European history. While the stack achieved a stable vertical ascent and booster separation, a staging failure prevented the car from decoupling, causing a catastrophic hillside impact. Ambition and the Rocketry Scale (0:01) Hammond and May sought to test whether the lightweight, three-wheeled Reliant Robin could form the core of a reusable spacecraft. The operational flight plan required faithfully mirroring NASA space shuttle mechanics: a vertical ground launch, the jettison of dual solid rocket boosters, stage separation from a central external fuel tank, and an unpowered, remote-controlled deadstick glide to a runway touchdown. Rocket specialists from Manchester were commissioned to design and construct the assembly. Severe Aerodynamic Flaws and Glider Tests (3:42) Engineers warned that despite May's argument regarding the car's tapered front, the road vehicle was an exceptionally poor aerodynamic shape for flight. Scale testing in the University of the West of England wind tunnel demonstrated flat, symmetrical airfoil wings without washout or washin, leaving aerodynamicists skeptical that the craft could produce lift. The recovery plan relied on Steve, an expert pilot from Model Aeroplane Monthly, to radio-control the orbiter after detachment. Steve warned that while a conventional aircraft advances roughly twenty feet for every foot of descent, the Robin would fall like an elevator with a cut cable. A scale glider test confirmed this prediction when the model promptly entered an uncontrolled nosedive and crashed. Liftoff, Staging Breakdown, and Impact (7:29) The full stack, requiring roughly twelve times the thrust of Top Gear's previous rocket-powered Mini stunt, was erected vertically at a secure military facility. Upon ignition, the rocket initiated a straight, stable vertical ascent through the cloud base. The first staging phase executed properly as the twin solid rocket boosters fired their charges and cleanly fell away. The project proved that an automotive payload could achieve stable, high-altitude vertical ascent on an unprecedented non-commercial European scale, but it underscored the fatal sensitivity of multi-stage rocketry. The failure of the final explosive bolts left the vehicle tethered to its fuel tank, preventing horizontal flight and resulting in the complete destruction of the craft upon hillside impact.

精炼阅读摘要

《Top Gear》主持人 Richard Hammond 与 James May 试图将英国经典的轻型三轮车 Reliant Robin 改装为可复用的航天飞机，以检验极端民间航天工程的可行性。尽管该项目成功建造了欧洲历史上推力最大、尺寸最庞大的非商业火箭并完成了初期升空，但最终因外组燃料箱分离机构失效导致航天器坠毁爆炸。概念构想与工程规模挑战 (0:01) 长期以来，Reliant Robin 因其独特的三轮布局和轻量化车身在英国汽车文化中饱受调侃。Richard Hammond 与 James May 提出将其改造成可重复使用的轨道航天飞机，完整复刻垂直发射、助推器级间分离以及无动力滑翔降落跑道的航天飞行流程。Hammond 甚至乐观地声称，若能实现受控着陆，项目或许能争取到欧盟的正式太空任务资金；但来自曼彻斯特的专业火箭工程师立即对这种设想提出了现实质疑。硬件集成与物理动力瓶颈 (2:20) 将公路民用车改装为航天有效载荷面临极为苛刻的动力学障碍。工程师指出，尽管 Reliant Robin 属于轻量化汽车，但在火箭领域却是极其沉重的有效载荷，所需推力约为此前《Top Gear》火箭版 Mini 特技的 12 倍，使其成为欧洲有史以来推力最强、规模最大的非商业火箭工程。此外，针对 May 关于车头收窄符合火箭外形的辩解，主工程师直言其钝端轮廓在气动特性上是火箭设计中最糟糕的形态。整个发射系统由巨大的中央外置燃料箱、两枚未安装鼻锥前就已体积骇人的白色固体火箭助推器（SRB）、Robin 车体自带的推进器以及大量计算机定时的爆炸螺栓组成，复杂的布线与烟火装置让 May 意识到潜在故障点极其庞大。气动力学缺陷与滑翔风险 (3:42) 西英格兰大学（UWE）风洞测试揭示了航天飞机轨道器严重的空气动力学隐患。大学空气动力学家利用缩比模型排查湍流和不稳定性，面对 May 询问缺乏上反或下洗角度的平直对称翼型能否产生升力时，专家报以尴尬的沉默。在无动力返航评估中，受聘负责地面无线电遥控的资深航模飞手 Steve 警告称，该飞行器的下坠态势将如同“被剪断缆绳的电梯”；常规飞机的滑翔比约为每下降 1 英尺前进 20 英尺，而砖状的 Robin 模型表现出完全相反的垂直坠落趋势，并在测试拖曳脱钩后直接俯冲坠毁于草坪。垂直发射成功与分离绝境 (7:29) 在绝密军事基地的发射工位上，搭载翼展和专用涂装的 Reliant Robin 航天飞机总成完成垂直吊装。倒计时归零后，火箭在巨大轰鸣与烈焰中笔直升空数千英尺，发射初期的垂直轨迹十分完美，且双固体火箭助推器如期通过爆炸螺栓成功分离。然而在二级分离阶段发生致命故障：连接 Robin 轨道器与中央外置燃料箱的爆炸螺栓未能引爆脱钩。受困于沉重空燃料箱的轨道器无法展开气动控制面维持滑翔姿态，整个组合体在顶点失速并以末端速度反向俯冲。在最后一刻弹射的应急降落伞因高度不足未能阻止坠落，航天器全速撞击远端山坡并引发剧烈爆炸，导致机体彻底损毁。这一严谨的工程试验验证了民间自制超大推力火箭的可行性，但也暴露出级间分离机械可靠性与极端气动外形对航天回收构成的决定性风险。

Detailed notes — zh

## Background 该视频由BBC著名汽车节目《Top Gear》于2008年12月18日发布在YouTube官方频道上。视频简介指出，主持人理查德·哈蒙德（Richard Hammond）与詹姆斯·梅（James May）试图探索英国经典三轮车雷霆罗宾（Reliant Robin）是否能改装成一架可行的航天飞机——让它升空或许不成问题，但能否安全返航着陆才是最大的考验。 ## TL;DR 哈蒙德和梅联手专业火箭工程师与航模专家，挑战打造欧洲有史以来动力最强劲的非商业火箭，试图将轻型三轮车雷霆罗宾改造成一架可重复使用的航天飞机。尽管该车在风洞测试和缩比模型滑翔实验中展现出如“断缆电梯”般灾难性的气动特性，团队仍将其推上了绝密基地的发射架。火箭在点火后完美垂直升空并达到数千英尺高空，但在关键的分离阶段，外部燃料箱未能按程序成功脱落。最终，组合体在高空失控翻滚，以极高速度砸向远处的山坡，化作一团巨大的爆炸火球而彻底报废。 ## Atmosphere & style 全片充满了经典的《Top Gear》式英式幽默、雄心壮志与宿命般的悲剧色彩。哈蒙德盲目的乐观与梅冷静且充满自嘲的担忧形成鲜明对比，两人在紧张的工程推进与荒谬的民间土法改装之间碰撞出密集的喜剧火花。整段视频的情绪曲线极具张力：从发射瞬间的震撼与狂喜，到空中分离失败的死寂窒息，再到最后化为冲天火球的惨烈巨响，带给观众一种在宏大壮举与滑稽灾难之间反复横跳的独特观影体验。 ## Bulletin - [00:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=1s) 理查德·哈蒙德与詹姆斯·梅试图将英国著名的三轮微型车雷霆罗宾（Reliant Robin）改装为可重复使用的航天飞机，并前往曼彻斯特寻求专业火箭工程师协助。 - [00:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=1s) 该发射系统成为欧洲有史以来最大、动力最强劲的非商业火箭，其所需推进动力是此前发射 Mini 试验火箭的整整 12 倍。 - [03:41](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=221s) 风洞气动吹风及缩比模型实测显示，雷霆罗宾存在严重的气动缺陷，无动力滑翔比灾难性恶化，下沉姿态被航模专家形容为“钢缆断裂的电梯”。 - [08:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=480s) 火箭在绝密基地成功垂直点火升空，但在数千英尺高空执行级间分离时发生故障，外挂副油箱未能顺利剥离，导致整车失速坠地并发生剧烈爆炸。 ## Key takeaways - [00:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=1s) 哈蒙德与梅决定将沦为笑柄三十年的三轮车雷霆罗宾改装为可重复使用的航天飞机，依托其锥形前脸设计挑战航天回收技术。 - [00:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=1s) 项目设计完全复刻真实航天飞机架构，包含巨大的外挂副油箱、双固体火箭助推器（SRB）以及由爆炸螺栓控制的分离系统。 - [00:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=1s) 曼彻斯特工程师指出雷霆罗宾作为有效载荷极其沉重，所需动力达到此前 Mini 试验火箭的 12 倍，造就了欧洲最大的非商业火箭。 - [00:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=1s) 在气动工程学上，雷霆罗宾原有的三轮微型车外形被工程师认定为飞行器所能具备的“最糟糕的外形”。 - [02:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=140s) 团队计划依靠地面航模飞行员遥控操作，尝试在火箭完成级间分离后让雷霆罗宾进行无动力滑翔并受控着陆。 - [02:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=140s) 整套发射构型体量远超预期，包含副油箱主发动机、车体内置火箭动力与两具巨大的助推器，梅担忧潜在故障点过多会导致灾难。 - [03:41](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=221s) 西英格兰大学的风洞吹风测试表明，即便加装对称翼型机翼，也根本无法弥补雷霆罗宾车身原生的空气动力学缺陷。 - [03:41](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=221s) 航模专家史蒂夫进行的空投滑翔测试证实该车完全缺乏升力表现，模型脱离母机后如“断缆电梯”般垂直下坠。 - [05:59](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=359s) 发射在绝密军用测试基地进行，发射架上的雷霆罗宾与助推器组合体在视觉上高度还原了真实航天飞机。 - [05:59](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=359s) 发射前夕现场氛围极度紧绷，梅坦言 Top Gear 以往筹划的大型项目通常都会以惨烈大灾难收场，唯愿本次能创造奇迹。 - [08:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=480s) 火箭点火瞬间爆发出巨大轰鸣与浓烈白烟，完美实现了垂直升空并刺入高空云霄，令掩体内的团队成员激动欢呼。 - [08:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=480s) 高空级间分离程序出现致命机械故障，助推器与外挂副油箱未能如期完全脱落，组合体在空中失速翻转。 - [08:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=480s) 失控的火箭与雷霆罗宾以极高速度头朝下坠入荒山，残存的高能燃料在猛烈撞击中引发剧烈爆炸，彻底粉碎了“可重复使用”的构想。 ## Detailed walkthrough ### [00:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=1s) 疯狂构想：把雷霆罗宾打造成航天飞机理查德·哈蒙德（Richard Hammond）与詹姆斯·梅（James May）将目光投向了英国汽车工业史上著名的三轮微型车——雷霆罗宾（Reliant Robin）。这辆车问世已有三十年，但在其中整整二十九年里，它都是英国人茶余饭后的笑柄。然而，两人却从它轻巧的车身、低廉的造价以及前端自然收窄呈锥形的造型中，看到了某种火箭般的潜质。不过，他们并不打算仅仅在车底绑几枚火箭发射升空就挥手告别，而是决定挑战航天领域最具技术难度的飞行器——能够重复使用的航天飞机（Space Shuttle）。为了将构想变为现实，两人前往曼彻斯特寻求专业火箭工程师的协助。哈蒙德向团队明确提出了严苛的指标：必须配备巨大的外挂副油箱、固体火箭助推器（SRB），升空后各级部件必须顺利分离，而最关键的一点在于，必须能够由地面遥控受控滑翔降落。哈蒙德开玩笑道：“如果你们能把这些全部实现并成功完成受控降落，我们很可能会拿到欧盟的拨款来执行真正的航天任务。”（“If you can make all this work and we can bring it into this controlled landing, we will probably get funding from the EU for a proper space mission.”）当工程师反问他们是否准备了十亿美元预算时，哈蒙德幽默地回应，正因为工程师来自精打细算的曼彻斯特，才指望对方花十便士六便士的零钱就能搞定，而他们能提供的报酬则是管够的热茶和猪油炸薯条。工程师们随即给出了冷峻的工程评估：尽管雷霆罗宾只是一辆轻型车，但作为一枚火箭的有效载荷，它依然重得惊人。这枚火箭所需的动力将是此前发射 Mini 试验火箭的整整 12 倍，成为欧洲有史以来发射的体量最大、动力最强劲的非商业火箭。更棘手的是，从气动角度看，雷霆罗宾的汽车外形几乎是火箭能拥有的“最糟糕的外形”。梅只能悻悻地辩解，自己最初以为只要一头削尖了就能飞。 ```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: 雷霆罗宾航天飞机发射与回收流程图 accDescr: 展示火箭从地面点火升空、助推器与副油箱分离、直至轨道器滑翔返航的理论设计流程。 subgraph Launch["第一阶段：发射升空"] A["垂直点火升空<br/>(欧洲最大非商业火箭)"] --> B["达到数千英尺高度"] end subgraph Staging["第二阶段：分离程序"] B --> C["抛弃固体火箭助推器<br/>(Jettison SRBs)"] C --> D["爆炸螺栓起爆<br/>剥离外挂副油箱"] end subgraph Reentry["第三阶段：返航着陆"] D --> E["雷霆罗宾轨道器展开滑翔"] E --> F["地面遥控驾驶受控着陆<br/>(可重复使用验证)"] end ``` ### [02:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=140s) 庞大构型与遥控驾驶的挑战为了解决返航降落的技术难题，哈蒙德拨通了《航模月刊》（Model Aeroplane Monthly）的求助电话，计划给罗宾加装大型航模遥控系统，待其抛弃火箭后由地面飞行员遥控进场着陆。哈蒙德一边摆弄着遥控模型飞机，一边寄希望于自己在短时间内突击掌握飞行操控技巧。然而，当两人看到实物火箭组件时，工程的巨大体量彻底超出了预期。光是一具尚未安装鼻锥的固体火箭助推器（SRB）就已经巨大无比，而更惊人的是作为核心主干的外挂副油箱。整套发射构型不仅在副油箱底部装有推进火箭，在雷霆罗宾车体内也塞入了火箭发动机，各级结构之间则由复杂的爆炸螺栓紧固。整套系统的精密与复杂程度令人眩晕，梅忧心忡忡地指出潜伏的致命风险：“我现在想到的是，可能出错的环节简直数不胜数。”（“What occurs to me now is the list of things to go wrong is enormous.”）如果任何一个环节在空中出现差错，甚至都不可能坚持到最后的着陆阶段。 - 固体火箭助推器共有两具，单具尺寸远超普通民用烟花火箭的想象。 - 巨大的外挂燃料箱底端配有额外的主推进火箭。 - 雷霆罗宾轨道器本身亦内置推进动力。 - 级间分离完全依赖一系列精密的爆炸螺栓按程序依次起爆。 ### [03:41](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=221s) 风洞气动吹风与绝望的滑翔比为了验证这架改装航天飞机的空气动力学特性，两人联系了西英格兰大学（University of the West of England），借用其风洞设施进行测试。由于风洞是免费借用，他们开玩笑地当成了“自助服务”，梅甚至试图在风洞中伸展四肢模拟雷霆罗宾的受风阻力，但无论怎么调整身姿都无济于事。随后，两位手捧缩比航天飞机模型的空气动力学学者赶来指导。在气流测试中，学者们直言不讳地指出，雷霆罗宾的车体在外形上存在严重的空气动力学隐患，机翼虽然采用了对称翼型，但根本无法弥补车身原本的气动缺陷。当被问及这架飞行器究竟能不能飞起来时，学者陷入了意味深长的沉默。同样感到绝望的还有担纲地面遥控试飞员的航模专家史蒂夫（Steve）。史蒂夫制作了一架比例模型，通过牵引飞机带到高空释放，用以实测罗宾在无动力滑翔时的下沉速度。史蒂夫非常形象且扎心地向哈蒙德描述道：“它掉下来的架势就像是钢缆被斩断的电梯一样。”（“Well, it's going to come down like a lift with a cable cut.”）史蒂夫进一步解释，常规滑翔机向前滑行 20 英尺仅下沉 1 英尺高度，而雷霆罗宾的滑翔表现完全是反向的倒挂比率。随后进行的脱钩实测印证了这一预判：模型一旦脱离母机牵引，几乎是笔直地朝着地面垂直栽了下去，展现出灾难性的气动滑翔品质。 ### [05:59](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=359s) 绝密基地集结与临飞前的死寂紧绷最终的发射选在了一处位置高度保密的军用测试基地。雷霆罗宾轨道器准时运抵现场，在引导人员的口令下一步步精准倒车就位。组装完毕后矗立在发射架上的雷霆罗宾宛如真正的航天飞机，后部外挂火箭发动机与整流罩极具视觉震撼力。随着发射窗口逼近，现场的紧张气氛几乎凝固。尽管哈蒙德嘴上坚称这次一定会成功，但梅却道出了两人共事多年挥之不去的阴影：“只是你知道每当我们搞这种大场面时，最后通常都会以某种惨烈的大灾难收场。”（“It's just that you know when we do these big things, they usually end in some sort of massive disaster.”）梅坦言，自己打心底里希望这一次能够破天荒地成功一次。在远处的发射掩体内，所有人屏息凝神，甚至能脑补出杰里米·克拉克森在演播室里准备幸灾乐祸的冷笑。 - 关键考验一：火箭在初始攀升阶段能否保持稳定的垂直姿态而不失控偏航。 - 关键考验二：高空中爆炸螺栓能否精准引爆，将助推器与巨大副油箱顺利剥离。 - 关键考验三：拒绝进入掩体防护的试飞员史蒂夫，能否在副油箱脱落后奇迹般遥控这架“会飞的砖头”平稳着陆。 ### [08:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM&t=480s) 轰然升空、分离故障与惨烈自爆在倒计时结束后，火箭推进器爆发出耀眼的火光和滚滚白烟，巨大的轰鸣声撕裂了天空。欧洲最强非商业火箭承载着雷霆罗宾拔地而起，笔直稳定地刺入云霄。这一完美的离地起飞让地面掩体内的哈蒙德和梅兴奋地大声欢呼。然而，剧本在火箭达到数千英尺高空并执行分离程序时发生了致命逆转。遥控指令下达后，各级组件并没有如预期般顺利解体剥离。两具火箭助推器与外部燃料箱未能完全与雷霆罗宾轨道器分离，失控的整套组合体在空中划出一道失速的弧线，失去姿态控制，头朝下以惊人的速度呼啸着砸向远处的荒山坡地。几秒钟后，携带残余高能燃料的火箭与雷霆罗宾猛烈撞击地面，瞬间化作一团巨大的火球与浓烈的黑烟，引发了地动山摇般的剧烈爆炸。在掩体外目睹整场惨状的哈蒙德只能目瞪口呆地抱头痛呼，而梅则在死寂中冷冷地补上了一句充满讽刺的质问：“你现在打算怎么重复使用它？”（“How are you going to use it again?”），宣告了这场雄心勃勃的“雷霆罗宾航天飞机”试验最终在一场盛大的爆炸烟花中画上了句号。 ## Mentioned Richard Hammond, James May, Jeremy Clarkson, Steve, Reliant Robin, Top Gear, Model Aeroplane Monthly, University of the West of England, European Union ## Video description Hammond and May discover if the Robin Reliant would make for a viable space shuttle. Getting it off the ground won't be a problem, but can they get it to safely land again? Subscribe for more awesome Top Gear videos: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=Topgear Top Gear YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/topgear TopGear.com website: http://www.topgear.com Top Gear Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/topgear Top Gear Twitter: http://twitter.com/BBC_topgear This is a commercial channel from BBC Studios. Service & Feedback https://www.bbcstudios.com/contact/contact-us/ [Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM)

Original transcript

[0:01] Yes, it's been around for 30 years, but [0:04] for 29 of those years, it's been a [0:06] complete joke. Now though, we're going [0:08] to see if the Reliant Robin has the [0:10] makings of a spaceship. [0:14] It's light, it's cheap, and it tapers to [0:16] a point like a rocket. So, we're already [0:19] heading in the right direction. [0:21] But, we're not just going to strap [0:22] rockets to it, set it off, and [0:24] wave it goodbye. [0:25] Because we're going to see if we can [0:27] turn it into the most difficult of all [0:30] spacecraft, the one that has to take off [0:33] and be used again. [0:35] A space shuttle. [0:39] Right, gentlemen, what we want from you [0:41] is the most difficult type of space [0:43] rocket, a [0:47] space shuttle. [0:50] This has to work properly. It has to [0:52] have the big fuel tank. It has to have [0:53] the booster rockets. They all have to [0:55] separate. And most importantly, we have [0:57] to be able to bring it back down under [0:58] control to a landing. [1:00] And it's worth saying as well that [1:02] nobody's going to go in this. [1:03] Yeah. [1:04] But, it has to be landed. [1:05] Yeah. The idea of this is that we will [1:07] send it up to a few thousand feet. What [1:10] we're doing is testing the principle. If [1:11] you can make all this work and we can [1:13] bring it into this controlled landing, [1:15] we will probably get funding from the EU [1:17] for a proper space mission. [1:18] So, you want to launch it, jettison the [1:20] SRBs. [1:21] Jettison the SRBs. [1:22] Jettison the orbiter, yeah. [1:23] And fly it down. [1:24] What's the orbiter? [1:26] The Reliant. [1:27] Right. [1:28] Have you got a spare billion dollars? [1:30] No. You see, that's why we've come to [1:31] you, because you're from Manchester and [1:33] you'll be able to do it for 10 and 6. [1:35] And there'll be as much tea as you can [1:36] drink while you're doing it. [1:38] Chips in lard, everything. Anything you [1:39] want. It is [1:41] difficult in every single way. [1:45] Right. [1:45] You've got a Reliant Robin. [1:47] It's a car, so it's really, really [1:49] heavy. [1:50] Yeah. [1:51] So, rough numbers, we're going to need [1:53] about 12 times the amount of power that [1:55] the Mini had. [1:56] Really? [1:57] It's the largest non-commercial rocket [1:59] launched in Europe. [2:00] It's the most powerful [2:02] non-commercial rocket launched in [2:04] Europe. [2:05] Right. [2:06] As a rocket, it's the most [2:08] awful shape it could ever be. [2:10] But I thought the Robin was a good place [2:12] to start because [2:14] it's pointy at one end. [2:16] That's as far as I got with that. [2:18] It's pointy. [2:19] Shut up. [2:19] Yeah. [2:20] Hello, is that Model Aeroplane Monthly? [2:22] Great. Um I need some help. [2:34] This, I think, is the answer. We've put [2:36] a more powerful version of whatever this [2:38] is to our space shuttle, then we can [2:40] take control of it from the ground after [2:42] its jet is in its rockets and fly it in [2:44] by remote. It's a good plan. I've just [2:46] got to get good at flying. [2:53] It's enormous. [2:55] That's a solid rocket booster. There are [2:57] two of those. That hasn't even got its [2:59] nose cone on yet. It's actually a bit [3:00] bigger than that. [3:01] But it's I was thinking firework on a [3:03] stick. This is [3:05] So was I, but that isn't the biggest [3:07] bit. [3:08] No, the external fuel tank was the [3:10] biggest bit, complete with extra rockets [3:12] in the bottom. Then there were more [3:14] rockets in the Reliant and explosive [3:16] bolts to separate everything. The whole [3:19] construction was mind-bogglingly [3:21] complicated. [3:23] What occurs to me now is the list of [3:25] things to go wrong [3:27] is enormous. [3:29] Yeah. [3:29] And if any one of them goes wrong [3:31] See, I've been worried about the [3:32] landing. [3:34] The chances of getting as far as the [3:36] landing on the day are now [3:38] How did you get on with your flying, by [3:39] the way? [3:40] Uh good. [3:42] One groveling phone call to the [3:44] University of the West of England and we [3:46] secured permission to use their wind [3:49] tunnel. And because it was free, we [3:51] assumed it was self-service. [3:54] Go. [3:55] Well, what do you mean go? I don't know [3:56] what [3:57] Uh [4:06] Do that. [4:09] That's good. [4:11] No matter how hard he tried, James [4:13] couldn't make himself into the shape of [4:14] a Reliant Robin, even with help. [4:19] Thankfully, two eggheads arrived with a [4:21] scale model of our shuttle. [4:23] You see a beard like that and you know [4:26] you're in safe hands. [4:27] Yep. [4:33] Well, basically we're looking out for [4:34] anything aerodynamically [4:36] nasty. [4:37] Yeah, the Reliant is a problem [4:38] aerodynamically. [4:39] Well, they didn't really design it with [4:41] this in mind, did they? [4:42] There's only wash out or wash in on the [4:44] wings. [4:45] It's basically simple, [4:47] uh symmetrical [4:49] airfoil section. [4:49] I don't know what you two are saying. [4:52] Well, there's the airfoil section of the [4:53] wing. [4:55] All right. [4:57] So, [4:58] the big question. [5:00] Will it fly? [5:04] I took it from his silence that he had [5:06] his doubts. [5:08] And he wasn't alone. Like the real [5:10] thing, our shuttle would glide back to [5:12] Earth without power. And Steve, our [5:15] pilot, had also built a model to show [5:17] how well it did this. [5:19] What's it going to feel like to fly, do [5:21] you [5:22] Well, it's going to come down like a [5:23] lift with a cable cut. [5:25] You're not filling me with hope, Steve. [5:27] Well, most normal airplanes, they sort [5:29] of glide for about, you know, if they [5:31] fly 20 ft forward, they lose about a [5:33] foot in height. [5:34] Yeah. [5:35] Afraid the Robin, it's the other way [5:36] around. [5:40] Three, [5:41] two, one. [5:43] And when the model was released from its [5:44] tow plane, [5:47] it's just plummeting to the Earth. [5:48] earth. [5:55] I'd rather you than me, I'll tell you. [6:00] The launch site was a military base [6:02] whose whereabouts are a top secret. [6:10] Bang on time for its date with destiny, [6:12] the Reliant Robin had arrived. [6:25] They're all right. They're all right. [6:28] Keep it coming. [6:29] They're all right. [6:30] On that line. [6:31] They're all right. [6:32] Yep. [6:33] They're all right. [6:35] Back. [6:36] Nice. [6:37] And stop. [6:41] That is the business end of a reusable [6:44] Reliant orbiter. [6:46] Wow. [6:48] Hammond. [6:49] What? [6:51] What do you think the chances are of it [6:52] actually working? [6:54] It'll work. [6:55] It's just that you know when we do these [6:57] big things, they usually end in some [6:59] sort of massive disaster. [7:04] I kind of like this one to work. [7:29] The tension now was almost unbearable. [7:32] You could almost hear Jeremy preparing [7:34] some intergalactic smugglers. [7:39] So, would Would on course during the [7:41] ascent? [7:45] Would the rockets and fuel tank detach? [7:51] And would Steve, who by the way had [7:53] refused our kind offer of a bunker, be [7:55] able to pilot the Robin down safely? [8:00] In just a few seconds, we'd know. [8:18] Oh, yeah! [8:45] Separate. Separate. [8:49] Shoot. Shoot. Shoot. [8:57] SEPARATE. 12 1,000. [9:04] RIGHT. [9:18] OH, [9:20] NO. [9:28] That's why. [9:29] How are you going to use it again? [9:43] Mhm.