“Rocket” Madsen formally charged with murder of Kim Wall aboard sub

Enlarge / The UC3 Nautilus in early sea trials in 2008. (credit: Frumperino)

Today, Peter Madsen-the inventor, engineer, and owner of the world's largest amateur-built submarine and head of the eponymous "Rocket Madsen Space Lab"-was formally charged with murdering Kim Wall, a Swedish freelance journalist who had been writing an article about Madsen. Copenhagen Prosecutor Jakob Buch-Jepsen says that Wall's killing was premeditated and called the case "very unusual and extremely disturbing."

Madsen is also charged with dismemberment, indecent handling of a corpse, and with "sexual relations other than intercourse of a particularly dangerous nature." Madsen's trial is set to begin March 8. If convicted, Madsen would face a life sentence. There is also a petition before the court to have him committed to a secure psychiatric facility indefinitely if he is determined to be mentally ill and to pose a danger to others.

Rocket man, U-boat commander

Madsen, who was once one of the founding members of Copenhagen Suborbitals-which describes itself as "the world's only manned amateur space program"-had what could generously be described as a falling out with the group in 2014. "He had disagreement with the other members of the group for years, including the board," a Copenhagen Suborbitals spokesperson wrote in a statement published in September. "This culminated in June 2014, and created a deep rift between Peter Madsen and the rest of us."

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