Hairdryer malfunction leads to failed rocket launch

Two Danish amateurs have failed in their bid to put a privately built rocket into space - and a hairdryer is to blame.

Kristian von Bengtson and Peter Madsen's £42,000 project was hit by a fuse problem in their 9m (30ft) craft. The pair were trying to send the first Danish rocket into space.



At a Copenhagen press conference the duo confirmed that a hairdryer was at the centre of the fault. The hairdryer was meant to have kept a valve for the liquid oxygen hot, to prevent it freezing.

It didn't work, and the power to the £10, retail-store brought hairdryer was cut off. It is anticipated that the proposed blast off will now take place in June. Denmark waits.