LEWES, Delaware USA — The Aerospace Education Department and the Delaware AeroSpace Education Foundation in conjunction with Delaware Space Grant and the Department of Transportation will be sponsoring a historic launch of a high-altitude rocket at 2:30 p.m., Saturday, May 3, at Cape Henlopen State Park in Lewes.

This will be the 12th high-altitude rocket launch from Delaware. Events will take place rain or shine.

This educational program will also feature model rocket, bottle rocket and canister rocket launches, kite demonstrations and exhibits on the park’s Parade Field all day long. Eighteen seven-foot-tall, advanced model rockets with scientific payloads will also be launched from the site. Schools throughout Delaware have been actively participating in this applied learning program.

Loki Research will be launching a Smokin’ Plover High Powered rocket at this year’s Rockets for Schools day. The Smokin’ Plover rocket is six inches in diameter and 9.6 feet in length.

Its solid-propellant rocket motor develops an average of 425 pounds of thrust and will accelerate the vehicle to a maximum velocity of 735 feet per second after launch. Delaware Technical & Community College has been constructing the payload that will be flown aboard the rocket.

The payload will send back real-time video throughout the flight as an engineering test of electronic data gathering systems.

The first high-altitude research balloon flight will take place this May. On board the flight will be a global positioning system (GPS) unit, a microprocessor and an amateur radio transmitter.

The balloon will transmit its location, altitude and airspeed during the entire flight. Using the amateur radio Automatic Packet Reporting System, the progress of the balloon flight will be available for viewing on the internet. Because the GPS data will be publicly available, it is hoped that recovery of the instrument package will be possible.

Schools from throughout Delaware and the Delaware Civil Air Patrol (CAP) will be participating in this firsthand applied learning experience. CAP personnel and cadets from Delaware and nearby states will be helping with crowd control and launch site perimeter security.

Financial and in-kind support is being provided by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Delaware Department of Transportation, Delaware Aeronautics Administration, Aerospace Education, Delaware AeroSpace Education Foundation, Delaware NASA Space Grant Program, ILC Dover and ATK Elkton LTD. Supporters who have contributed toward making this exciting event possible include: Actor’s Attic, Boeing, City of Lewis, Mayor’s Office, Cape Henlopen State Park, Delaware Air & National Guard, Delaware Electric Cooperative of Greenwood, Delaware Technical & Community College (Terry Campus), Dover Air Force Base, Federal Aviation Administration, Lewes Amateur Radio Society, Lewes fire & police departments, State Police Med Vac Unit, and all other local businesses who have contributed to this educational endeavor.

The Delaware AeroSpace Education Foundation, a nonprofit organization, exists to inspire and educate the people of the Delaware Valley in the areas of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and aerospace through the use of the academies, presentations, symposiums, professional development, events and activities and its new Innovation, Technology, Exploration Center.

These activities provide highly motivating and interdisciplinary opportunities for students to learn about science-based life skills and nontraditional career choices.

This unique event is free but park entrance fees will be in effect, $4 for Delaware residents and $8 for others. All events will take place rain or shine. Call 302-738-7749 or 645-8983 or check http://www.dasef.org.
 
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