t sr wrote:
Is this significant at all?

Not really.

well, how many backyard rocket scientists have ever duplicated the feat?

This is significant. Theoretically its very easy to design and make a
solid rocket engine in your grarage. It doesn't cost much either.

But practically, it's another matter.

Sure, the payload here achived less than ten percent of the energy
needed for orbit. But with engine design and manufacturing techniques
worked out, half of the difficulty of reaching orbit is overcome.

Under half of one percent of that needed.
(currently designing regeneratively cooled bipropellant engines, and
star-trackers for a 4-stage 1 kilo launcher to be built in the garage)


Building on this for an amature satallite launch system now requires
three more stages and better guidance.