FREDERICKSBURG, Texas USA — The inaugural Tuloso-Midway High School hybrid rocket successfully lifted off at 10:53 am Friday, April 25 kicking off the two day Rockets ’08 event at the Paul Meek Ranch, south of Fredericksburg.

T-M’s first year Aeroscience class designed and custom built the seven-foot long, four-inch diameter, 10-pound machine they affectionately christened, The Arrow. T-M’s rocket reached an altitude of 5,032 feet, attaining a top speed of 558 MPH while carrying a 5-foot banner emblazoned with a single gold arrow sporting the signatures of her builders as a payload. The Arrow’s unique design, superb construction, and superior performance were highly lauded by the program directors and flight inspection team

VIDEO: Tuloso-Midway High School hybrid rocket successfully lifted off.

T-M seniors Chad Tschauner and Zack Lang were overall program managers supported by a team of nine students and their Aeroscience instructor Mr. Chris Schulz. Each student played an integral part in the design, development, acquisition, and fabrication process. Other members of the launch team included, senior Luke Duis, Juniors Buster Crow and Justin Guinn, and sophomore Marcus Kellogg. Members unable to make the trip were seniors Billy Clawson, James Wallace, Danielle Ocker, Noel Narvaez, and junior Travis St Clair.

The semester long project required parts from South Carolina, Louisiana, Colorado, and a motor from Canada, in addition to a lot of epoxy, sandpaper, and simple hand tools. Students utilized computer design software to compute stability and performance parameters while researching and computing structural load forces caused by recovery pyrotechnics and parachute deployment shock. Teamwork, coordination, and a great deal of research were required to complete the Arrow.

The Arrow’s Hybrid Rocket Motor system utilizes a nitrous oxide (N2O) cylinder connected by a valve to a thermoplastic fuel grain, all totally inert until remotely combined and ignited by a pyrotechnic free electric match, making this a much safer evolution than solid rocket propellants. A barometric altimeter was used to initiate a dual deployment recovery system that included breaking the aerodynamic shape of the rocket by popping off the nosecone and deploying the five-foot banner at apogee, 5,032 feet, then deploying the parachute at 1200 feet. This all resulted in a recovery less than 100 feet from the intended position, a feat deemed remarkable by the launch director because of the significant number of variables at work.

The event was sponsored by Ignite, a non-profit organized formed to enhance the education of Texas students through its Aeroscience program. Rockets ’08 is a continuing annual event where Aeroscience students from across the state gather to launch their experimental rockets. Rockets ’08 consisted of ten schools launching a total of 18 rockets, first year schools were aiming for 5280 feet with up to a pound of payload, while second year programs were shooting for Mach 1, the speed of sound, about 760 miles per hour with a ceiling of 11,000 feet. As a result of Ignites’ efforts, 25 new schools including Robstown High School will enter the program.

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