WARNER, New Hampshire USA — On Saturday in Warner, the Kearsarge Area Rocket Society, known as KARS, is going to have a launch, but before you bring out your resumés and try to prove that you have the qualifications to be an astronaut, you might want to wait a moment.

KARS sets off model rockets.

When Bradford-resident-Rocket-Man Mike Bellino moved to New Hampshire from Massachusetts in 2003, he noticed that there were no rocket clubs. The electrical engineer who works for Simbex in Lebanon said he had begun to enjoy the activity with his oldest son 10 years ago when the boy was 5, and still enjoys letting rockets off with his family and friends. Bellino discovered it was a great father/son activity, he said. However, it was his wife, who was a teacher at Mount Royal Academy at the time, who got the ball rolling.

His wife asked the children at her school if they would be interested in setting off model rockets, so Bellino showed them what it was all about.

"A number of the kids came afterwards and asked if there were more clubs in the area," said Bellino.

So Bellino got to work and started KARS in 2005.

"It has been very well attended. Everybody has a great time. We usually launch once a month between April and November," he said.

The launch will be from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 28, on Schoodac Road in Warner on land owned by Tim and Jenny Courser, who kindly share their land with KARS for launches such as this. Their son, Rhett, is very interested in the launches.

KARS is now a member of the National Association of Rocketry, known as NAR (www.NAR.org for details on the national organization).

Some people buy pre-made rockets, but most of the budding engineers and their parents buy kits that can be assembled and painted by the owner. Rockets can be made from household materials, but Bellino recommends to start off using the kit to learn the basics of rocket construction.

Bellino said although some rockets come to an untimely demise when returning to Earth, 70 to 80 percent of the participants get their rockets back in working order, ready to launch another day. Bellino said the rockets are designed with safety in mind so they are usually made of cardboard and are created to absorb impact. They have parachutes that slow them down when they are returning to the earth, but a well make rocket should survive even if this fails. They are usually made to have a plastic nose cone, balsa wood fins, and maybe some metal.

"Even if you don't bring one, just come and watch," said Bellino.

Bellino said he likes it when children get so excited that they start to ask questions of an educational nature. And there is a lot of science to be learned with this project.

"Rockets use Newton's third law of motion, which, in simple terms, means that as a rocket throws its exhaust backward, it moves forward. The more mass and the faster the exhaust moves backwards, the faster the rocket moves forward. What makes rockets unique is that all other modes of transportation require something to push against. Walking pushes on the earth, ships push on water, planes push on air, but rockets essentially push against themselves. Since in space there is virtually nothing to push against, rockets can move around space where nothing else can," said Bellino.

To find the KARS launch site on Saturday, take Exit 9 off I-89 and turn right, heading East on Route 103. Go straight then bear left onto Schoodac Road. The field will be on the right hand side. If you see Couchtown Road on your left, turn back. You just passed the field.

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