with the Arcas model sounding rocket, seen here lifting off on a beautiful sunny morning from the driveway.
Accompanied by a cloud of smoke and a whoooosh, Arcas soars off the rod to an apogee of 488 feet on a standard “C” engine.
The Thiokol rocket garden...
in remote northern Utah displays all the rocket engines and missiles they manufacture at full scale, now under corporate ownership by Northrop-Grumman. I have an enormous case of rocket envy.
The rocket garden is free and open daily to the public and includes interpretive signs and related displays. Well worth a visit if you’re heading to the Golden Spike National Historical Park which is nearby.
The submarine-launched ballistic Trident (center) with the three-stage land-based Minuteman ICBM (left of center). The enormous solid rocket booster for the Space Shuttle lays in the background.
The business end of the Space Shuttle’s solid rocket booster. When ignited, a pair of these provided 85% of the thrust at liftoff for the first two minutes of ascent. Unfortunately there are no demonstrations.
Location on Google Maps: 41.65892098884914, -112.44084106450782
An incredibly green and groomed launch site...
serves as the venue for the well-named Sod Blaster VI, an annual event held during Labor Day weekend at a sod farm near Pasco, Washington. More than 100 rocketry nerds gathered to launch low- to high-power model rockets during the four day-long event. It’s fair to say that everybody here has a blast!
An array of launch pads is commanded by the launch control officer (on left) at the well organized event. A high power rocket is heading skyward from a distant pad on the range.
My Nike Smoke Pro ready to go on a mid-power launch rail. It successfully soared to a 617 foot (188 meter) apogee on a “F” rocket engine.
Preparing to attach the electrical igniter to the high power HV Arcas model rocket for my Level 1 certification attempt on a “H” engine.
The HV Arcas zipping off the pad to a 1,719 foot (524 meter) apogee. Unfortunately the rocket separated too energetically when the ejection charge fired but all components were recovered. I'll have to try again for the L1 certification given this failure during flight.
The Arreaux shooting off the pad on a “G” engine to an apogee of 1,826 feet (557 meters).
T-minus five days until Sod Blaster VI...
in southeastern Washington where I hope to earn my Level 1 certification in order to purchase and launch bigger rocket engines in my larger/heavier model rockets. I will fly the 56 inch (142 cm) tall Aerotech HV Arcas for the certification flight, a 60% scale replica of the actual high velocity Arcas sounding rocket historically used for atmospheric research.
The Aerotech HV Arcas and the Aerotech Arreaux model rockets. The smaller and sporty Arreaux should reach 3,000 feet on a "G" engine according to computer simulations.
Based on simulations using OpenRocket software that utilizes basic physics, aerodynamic principles and the standard atmospheric model, the HV Arcas model rocket should soar to a half-mile high apogee in a flight lasting two minutes long on a “H” rocket engine. A Jolly Logic Altimeter Two will be onboard during the cert flight in order to record flight data.
Design rendering of the HV Arcas from OpenRocket software showing internal structure and components, as well as the center of gravity and center of pressure on the airframe.
Simulated flight profile of the HV Arcas flying on a “H” engine from OpenRocket software showing a predicted apogee of 2,456 feet (~750 meters) for a flight lasting 129 seconds.
Links: Sod Blaster VI and OpenRocket software.
The northern rocket arsenal...
is ready to fly, but with all the burn bans currently in effect in eastern Washington that’s not going to happen anytime soon. The HV Arcas model rocket will be used to obtain my Level 1 certification from the National Association of Rocketry at an event later this month. I’m leveling up to higher power rocketry. It’s important to pursue goals in retirement.
Link to Sod Blaster 2024 and the Level 1 Certification Process.
The Doorknob was a sounding rocket...
used in the Pacific in 1958 during Project Hardtack to monitor the radiation in the upper atmosphere during the nuclear tests. Here’s my scale model lifting off from the Ken’s Lake Missile Test Range early this morning.
The snazzy Doorknob roaring off the launch rail under thrust from a “F” engine, achieving an 893 foot apogee during its minute-long flight.
A calm Memorial Day morning...
at the Round Mountain Proving Ground saw five model rockets soaring skyward. Here are just a couple.
Moab Man hitching a ride on the MOAB to low Earth orbit, blasting off on a “F” engine.
Once again the Frangible Arcas is the high flyer of the day, achieving a 1,341 foot apogee on a “E” engine.
Flying straight and true...
under relatively calm conditions this morning, I launched and recovered three model rockets with the Warp Core rocketry club in Grand Junction, Colorado at their launch site on the state line. Members lofted about 20 rockets until increasing winds shut down operations around noon.
First off the pads today, Zephyr Jr. zooms to a 554 foot apogee on a “D” engine, landing only about 50 feet away under calm conditions.
Finally painted and decaled, the MOAB roars to 575 feet on a “F” engine.
Aiming higher, my Frangible Arcas soars to 1,335 feet and lands a considerable distance down range under increasing winds.
Resuming launch activities...
at the Round Mountain Missile Test Range, taking advantage of a weather window with calm winds. Flying model rockets is fun beyond description, but maybe it’s a guy thing.
The painted MOAB model rocket leaping off the pad to a 622 foot high apogee.
Zephyr under chute and softly landing below Round Mountain.
High power rockets soared today...
above Ray’s Mesa in a remote corner of the Grand Valley in Colorado, just west of Grand Junction near the state line, organized and coordinated by the local Warp Core rocketry club. About a dozen men of all ages participated in the event and huge fun was had by all.
Launch controller Ben’s view of the launch pads, with my two-stage Majestic model rocket on the center launch rail ready for flight, the first of the day. Someone had to fly in order to check the winds aloft and I volunteered this high flyer.
My two-stage boosted Majestic soaring to an apogee of 2,275 feet (693 meters) on two “F” engines, with a successful recovery under parachute for a flight lasting 2 minutes and 18 seconds, softly landing about 150 feet (~50 m) away from the pad.
Dozens of launches were made throughout the morning by the various club members. Nerd alert!
The Ken's Lake Proving Ground...
in the southern Spanish Valley is a nice alternative launch site for higher powered rockets. Several were fired off today.
The MOAB heading to 639 feet.
Frangible Arcas soaring in front of the snowy La Sal Mountains to an apogee of 1,343 feet.
No fooling around...
this morning with the launch of a small rocket to celebrate a friend’s birthday and the arrival of April.
Patriot flying into the breeze to 350 feet followed by a gentle recovery by parachute.
A growing club of rocketeers...
gathered this morning at the Round Mountain Missile Proving Range. It’s not a very diverse group. Heh.
Majestic heading skyward to an undetermined altitude, unknown because the flight recorder was lost, but the rocket was recovered safely under parachute.
Unpainted MOAB is the first rocket to test the more rigid rail system used for higher powered rockets. It flew straight as an arrow to 647 feet on a “F” engine.
GoPro view of MOAB at ignition on the launch rail, about to lift off.
The high flyer of the morning was the Arcas on a “E” engine, with an apogee at 1,482 feet (before the loss of the altimeter). The wind was picking up so the launch rod was tilted in order to accommodate for parachute drift during descent.
Wide view of the Round Mountain Proving Ground.
Career Day for Moab middle schoolers...
brought them to the Utah State University campus where one of the activities involved model rocketry. We launched and successfully recovered four rockets in a series of demonstrations as small groups of students rotated through the various activities. It was big and chaotic fun.
Observing the first day of spring...
by lofting a rocket.
Blast off from the driveway with Parriott Mesa in the background.
The Patriot clearing the launch rod and flying to a 486 foot apogee.
Annotated profile of a perfect flight and parachute deployment. The rocket landed softly about 150 feet away from the pad.
It may look menacing...
but it’s just a model rocket, albeit a very big model rocket. The HV Arcas by Aerotech stands 56 inches (142 cm) tall and is mounted on a rigid rail used for launching high powered rockets. I will seek Level 1 certification this coming summer from the National Association of Rocketry in order to fly this impressive projectile on larger engines to several thousand feet in altitude. It’s important to have goals in retirement. Go big or stay home.
Note: The 1010 aluminum launch rail stands 7.5 feet tall (2.3 meters).
"Rocket Men"...
reliving their childhood, featured in this week’s Castle Valley Comments. The young lad pictured below plays a leading role.
Junior rocketeer with Science Fair project, circa 1968.
Richard Codd from Moab (left) supervises as I attach the launch system to the igniter on the unpainted Doorknob model rocket. (Image courtesy Ron Drake.)
With a mighty roar...
on a “F” engine, the unpainted Doorknob model rocket leaps skyward off the pad in a sparkly liftoff. The one minute-long flight reached 832 feet in altitude according to the onboard flight recorder.
Though not a high flyer, the Doorknob drifted about 500 feet from the launch site once the chute deployed.
Launching slightly into the wind on a “E” engine, the sleek and unpainted Frangible Arcas achieved 1,381 feet at apogee, landing softly under chute and drifting about 600 feet down range.
The moment of ignition...
at the business end of the Patriot model rocket as the engine pressurizes and spits out the electrical ignitor. Milliseconds later, liftoff!
Still frames captured by a GoPro.
Model rocket descending under chute...
after an early launch on a calm, clear and sunny morning. This one flew to 501 feet on a “C” engine and pulled 9.4 Gs at peak acceleration, softly landing less than 20 feet from the pad.
Estes Red Max model rocket with a tethered altimeter (black object near nose cone) and Nomex chute protector (orange fabric attached to shock cord).
Still frame from the upward-looking GoPro at the pad.