What I did today

What I did today (watch in full screen):






I'd wanted to get into High Power Rocketry since I was a kid, but it was just never the "time".  Well, now that I have a little more time to do the things I've always wanted to, I joined the local Rocketry club and built a model rocket to do my Level 1 HPR cert.  Since building the rocket, I had to wait three months, as the previous two scheduled launches got washed out by the weather.  Today, the weather was marginal, but I managed to get my rocket launched between the rains and the heavy winds.

I chose a model called a Minnie-Magg from LOC Precision.  A fun build.  Not too challenging.  I had to build it in the apartment we've been renting while waiting for our house to be built, so I didn't have my normal modelling bench to work on.  I painted it red and green, and named it The Possum Rocket.  No one at the field got the reference.





*SIGH*

Since I wanted to do everything I could to try and ensure a successful flight, I picked a rocket motor that wouldn't take it too high so that it wouldn't fly off in high winds, or get caught in the trees around the flying field.  Most guys seemed to be going for around the 2,000 foot level for their cert flights, but I picked a motor that should get me to around 1K of altitude.  Apparently, I picked just the right motor.  Per the altimeter I put in it, the rocket's actual apogee was 1,132 feet.  Luckily, I launched in a relatively calm moment and the rocket only landed about 20-25 yards from the launch rail!  On a launch a little previous to mine, the guy was shooting for about 3,000 feet, and his rocket drifter off about a half mile away on the wind and he had the long walk to recover it.  Granted, his rocket was lighter, but I still lucked out with the wind.

So, now I am L1 HPR certified!  Now to build a rocket for my L2 cert so I can fly it at the High Frontier launch weekend in late September.  I have a few ideas....

The Certifiable Mark