FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
National Geographic Channel's Rocket City Rednecks Test Their
Latest Invention at the 37th Marine Corps Marathon
Dr. Travis Taylor Will Compete Wearing 40 Pounds of
Full-Body Armor for Special Episode in Season Two
Season Two Premieres Thursday, November 29, on NGC
(Washington, D.C. - September 26, 2012): The Rocket City Rednecks have
bombproofed a truck using beer cans in an effort to create armor for
military vehicles and constructed a homemade hovercraft using a tarp from
the garage. This October, they'll bring their unique mix of southern charm
and advanced degrees to the 37th Marine Corps Marathon (MCM) in Washington,
D.C., as Rocket City Rednecks star Dr. Travis Taylor runs the course
wearing the Rednecks' latest invention - a lightweight, full-body armor
suit.
With the loss-of-limb rate for U.S. troops at an all-time high, the
Rednecks were inspired to create an alternative version of full-body armor
that would protect troops in combat without impairing mobility or
performance.
To prove that the suit is mobile, Travis will run the 37th Marine Corps
Marathon in the Full-body Armor Suit Test Unit #1 (FAST U1), which also
includes a removable facemask. The armor is made of Kevlar, Ultra High
Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE), canvas, polyurethane, polyurea and
polycarbonate materials, and weighs 40 pounds, the same amount as the U.S.
military's current armor, which protects only the torso. The entire
process is being filmed for a special episode to premiere during the show's
second season, which begins Thursday, November 29, on NGC.
"My older brother is an E9 in the U.S. Air Force, and is about to leave on
his fourth deployment," said Travis. "I want to do everything I can to
make certain that he and the other superheroes like him in our armed forces
always come home safely."
"There is not a more appropriate event for Rocket City Rednecks to showcase
this new prototype that could ultimately enhance the protection afforded
the men and women of the armed forces," says Rick Nealis, MCM director.
"The MCM is an ideal testing ground for Dr. Taylor."
Prior to Travis' appearance at the MCM, the Rocket City Rednecks will test
the suit through a series of rigorous experiments to confirm that the suit
can withstand the same elements our troops face overseas, including
detonating improvised explosive devices underneath it, shooting at it with
various firearms, burning it and running an obstacle course under the
direction of a U.S. Marine Corps drill instructor while wearing the suit to
test mobility.
"National Geographic Channel is proud to support the dedication and service
of the U.S. Marine Corps, and we're honored to have the Rocket City
Rednecks debut their creation at the Marine Corps Marathon," said Michael
Cascio, EVP of programming for National Geographic Channel. "This
represents an incredible feat of engineering and is a testament to how
science and technology can solve issues in unique and unconventional ways."
The 37th Marine Corps Marathon will be held on Sunday, October 28, 2012, in
Arlington, Va., and throughout the nation's capital. Thirty thousand
runners from across the United States and representing 52 nations will
participate.
Rocket City Rednecks, called "ridiculously fun" and a "rip-roarin reality
series" that is "as addictively tasty as a platter full of Southern-fried
chicken" by critics in season one, follows a family of NASA rocket
scientists living in Huntsville, Ala., as they combine hillbilly ingenuity
with advanced engineering and physics to tackle real-world scenarios. With
their thick accents and distinctive vocabulary, the tight-knit group brings
its own unique style of southern charm to science and technology.
For more information, visit www.natgeotv.com/rednecks.
About National Geographic Channels
Based at the National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C.,
the National Geographic Channels US are a joint venture between National
Geographic and Fox Cable Networks. The Channels contribute to the National
Geographic Society's commitment to exploration, conservation and education
with smart, innovative programming and profits that directly support its
mission. Launched in January 2001, National Geographic Channel (NGC)
celebrated its fifth anniversary with the debut of NGC HD. In 2010, the
wildlife and natural history cable channel Nat Geo WILD was launched, and
in 2011, the Spanish-language network Nat Geo Mundo was unveiled. The
Channels have carriage with all of the nation's major cable, telco and
satellite television providers, with NGC currently available in 84 million
U.S. homes. Globally, National Geographic Channel is available in 440
million homes in 171 countries and 38 languages. For more information,
visit www.natgeotv.com.
About the MCM: Voted the "Best Marathon for Families" and the "Best
Marathon in the Mid Atlantic," the Marine Corps Marathon honors the
dedication, sportsmanship and patriotism of its participants. Runners from
all walks of life participate in the largest marathon not to offer prize
money, earning the name "The People's Marathon."
The 37th MCM will be held on October 28, 2012 in Arlington, VA. For more
information, please visit www.marinemarathon.com.
###
|
