The two day-long launch event...

this weekend at the state line was unfortunately cut short by high winds on the second day, but not before getting several high flyers off the pads early Saturday morning to a maximum apogee of 41,000 feet above ground level!

The high power launch pads and rails were set up shortly before sundown on Friday night. The FAA has granted the club a special waiver to fly to 50,000 feet this weekend where we are normally limited to flights no higher than 12,000 feet.

Ignition of the CTI L2375 rocket engine during an early morning launch.

The heavy metal pad collapses under the powerful thrust at liftoff! The CTI L2375 rocket motor produces 2,451 N-sec (551 lb-sec) of total impulse.

The Wildman Cherokee Mini model rocket...

is my latest build and it soared to 1,035 feet (316 m) on its first flight under overcast skies today.

The somewhat translucent unpainted fiberglass Cherokee Mini model rocket revealing the Kevlar shock cord and parachute inside the airframe, racked on the launch rail and ready for its first flight.

Off it goes on an Aerotech F20 rocket motor on a flight lasting 81 seconds from liftoff to touchdown.

The slide out tailgate on the Bronco serves as a convenient workbench on which to prep rockets for flight.

Keep looking up...

when rockets are returning over the flight line. It was another fantastic and fun day at the state line with the gang from Colorado hurling projectiles at the sky.

My Nike Smoke Pro was just one of dozens of low-, medium- and high-powered rockets launched today.

The last launch event of the year...

was held today at the state line between Colorado and Utah. I successfully launched and recovered three mid-power rockets on a calm and sunny day in the Grand Valley. Always enormous fun.

The exhaust plume of a high-power rocket paints its trajectory as it heads skyward with the Book Cliffs serving as a scenic backdrop to the remote launch site.

Doorknob lifting off the rod on a F15-4 engine.

Nike Smoke Pro leaping off the pad on a composite F20-7W engine.

Nike Smoke Pro under chute during descent.

The mid-power Cherokee Pro heading up on a composite G77-7R engine to an apogee of 1,672 feet (510 m).

The "Halloween launch" at the state line...

had me lofting the pumpkin-colored Moab Man rocket today. The second launch of the rocket involved a drag race with an identical rocket and identical engine.

Milliseconds after ignition, Moab Man accelerates skyward on a F15-4 motor.

Going up! Moab Man clears the rail.

Screen grab from a video of the drag race where both rockets were ignited at the same time. Big fun.

Sod Blaster VII was a bust...

for me with two failed launch attempts due to a bad batch of Aerotech G80-7T rocket motors. One exploded in the rocket, failing to properly ignite the propellant and ejection charge, though there was no damage to the rocket body due to its robust fiberglass and epoxy construction.

Cherokee and me, prior to launch at the sod farm on a hot and hazy day.

Three…two…one…chuff! The Wildman Cherokee on rail C6 at moment of ignition failure which pressurized the rocket body and popped off the nose cone.

Cracked engine casing showing one of the two unignited propellant grains. The yellow forward closure contains unignited black powder of the ejection charge. Both failed motors are stamped with the same date/batch number.

Priming and painting...

one of the larger missiles in the arsenal during these hot days with low humidity.

The Apogee Zephyr is a four inch diameter rocket that flies with a 38 mm engine mount and should easily get to a mile high.

The Zephyr twins, the larger of which still needs black paint on the nose cone and a final clear coat, but it’s ready to fly. The smaller has flown frequently on “D” and “E” rocket engines to nearly 1,000 ft (~300 m).

More model rocketry goodness...

was enjoyed today at the Ken’s Lake Proving Ground on a quiet and calm morning with two good friends.

Doorknob takes to the sky.

Arreaux lifting off with the GPS radio tracker in the payload bay.

The flight of the Arreaux at Ken’s Lake Proving Ground south of Moab, rendered on Google Earth using flight telemetry. Cool tech.

Racing up the rail...

the Bull Pup model rocket heads skyward at the Ken’s Lake Proving Ground this morning on an Aerotech F20-7W engine. It’s a very menacing scale replica of a short-range air-to-ground missile used by the US Navy during the 1960s and 1970s, but without the ordinance onboard, of course.

Hundreds of launches...

of low-, mid- and high-powered rockets occurred over four days at the National Sports Launch West event, bringing together more than 250 rocketeers from across the country for the Memorial Day weekend near Alamosa, Colorado. Here’s one of the first high-power rockets heading to 44,000 feet (13,400 meters) to kick off the event!

The high altitude launch site lies at 7,600 feet above sea level in the San Luis Valley with 80 launch pads/rods/rails/towers on the firing range. There’s nary a tree for miles and miles in any direction.

All launch pads and rockets on the range are fired by the Launch Control Officer and their staff of assistants, pad managers and spotters.

All rockets to be flown are first inspected by Range Safety Officers for flight worthiness prior to launch, no matter the size, both large and small.

GPS radio tracking frequencies must be managed so as to avoid conflicts during flights.

Basic kits were generously donated by Estes and the rocket engines by Chris’ Rocket Supplies for the kids.

Many vendors were represented at the event and a lot of business was conducted on the site.

A GPS radio tracker is tucked away...

in the payload bay of my high power model rockets that allows for accurate flight telemetry in real time, and also assists in locating the rocket after touchdown by transmitting its location. Today’s first test flight with the device went exceptionally well and provided a wealth of interesting flight data.

The Arreaux at liftoff on an Aerotech F20-7W engine, soaring to an apogee of 936 feet (285 meters).

The Featherweight GPS radio tracker mounted on a sled inside the payload bay. A small LiPo battery is secured beneath the circuit board and will not budge under high G forces at liftoff.

GPS track of flight at the Round Mountain Proving Ground rendered on Google Earth. L = launch site, A = apogee, and T = touchdown point.

Distance between launch and touchdown points is about 100 yards/meters.

Forty model rocket launches...

so far this year ties me with SpaceX, where they have launched an equal number of Falcon 9 rockets into orbit, on just the 93rd day of the calendar year.

The Semroc Arcas model rocket soared to 507 feet (155 m) on a C6-5 engine and soft-landed under parachute 20 feet away on a 48 second-long flight on a gorgeous morning in Castle Valley.

Level 1 certification was achieved today...

by successfully launching and recovering the high-power HV Arcas model rocket with an “H” motor to 2,314 feet (705 meters). Here are several images taken at the remote launch site on the Colorado - Utah state line. It’s very good and quite satisfying to set and achieve lofty goals in retirement.

HV Arcas on the launch rail, prepped for liftoff on a reloadable Aerotech H128-8W engine.

Blast off!

Thumbs up on a successful soft touchdown under parachute about 1,500 feet (450 meters) down range.

The flight recorder showed that the rocket’s top speed was 391 mph with 16.1 G peak acceleration for a flight lasting 146 seconds.

HV Arcas launch video courtesy BH. “That’s the up part!”

A gathering of nerds...

occurs once a month on the Utah - Colorado state line, here framed by the Book Cliffs to the north. The so-called Warp Core chapter of the National Association of Rocketry organizes model rocket launches at this remote site where members fly low-, medium- and high-powered model rockets. It’s a ridiculous amount of fun and here are some of my launches from today.

The launch site in the Grand Valley west of Grand Junction, Colorado. NOTAMs are filed and we have a waiver to fly to 12,000 feet (4,000 meters). Coordinates: 39.27910365938015, -109.04074725724564

The scale model Doorknob sounding rocket moments after ignition.

Cherokee Pro roaring off the rail on a G40-7W engine to an apogee of 1,711 feet (522 meters).

The recently finished (but not yet painted/decaled) Bull Pup on its maiden flight skyward on a F20-4W engine.

A dead calm morning...

absolutely demands a rocket launch. Willing to comply, Nike X achieved a 576 foot (176 meter) apogee on a “C” engine on a 48 second-long flight.

Nike X and me. The Aerotech wireless launch controller seen attached to the tripod works fantastically well, allowing a greater standoff from the pad, using Bluetooth and your smartyphone.

The twelfth successful flight...

and soft landing of the scale model Patriot rocket this chilly but calm afternoon.

The Patriot model rocket after a successful flight to 425 feet (130 meters). The vent holes allow the parachute to rotate on a swivel during descent. Very entertaining.