LDRS Day Five was the day of the large projects, the day of experimental motors and the day for fun. This was the day the Team Redstone project was due to fly.

While Team Redstone was setting up, Jim Mitchell was setting up his huge Nike Smoke next door in the away cell area.

The business end of Jim Mitchell's O-6000 motor.

Jim's Nike Smoke is one of the best examples of a high power rocket you can find. Roughly a foot in diameter and weighing almost 200 pounds and powered by a Dynamic Propulsion Systems 0-6000, this one was ready to rock!

The six inch diameter O motor was a sight to behold as it rested in the big Smoke, as can be seen in the picture to the right. Jim did a great job of post-construction surgery to put a 6" mount in this rocket.

The Nike Smoke screamed on the O!

When time came to launch the beast, the area was cleared out and the count given. At T-0, the huge Smoke roared into the air, screaming to a height of 7863 feet. More pictures of the Smoke can be seen by clicking here.

As soon as the rocket was well out of range, Team Redstone went back to work getting their monster ready for flight. I all of my time today at this site, as I was a team member and put in some time myself on the top of the tower, wrestling the 30 foot tall rocket into position.

Team Redstone scrambling around the launch tower.

The tower was a large four-sided device built especially for this rocket. It featured sections of unistrut for the rail, with guides made from metal to span the rail.

Work moved right along, fins being attached, motor being secured, electronics being armed. The electronics for this flight were a thing of art in themselves. Built by Jim Amos of Missile Works, they featured three remote control units and a backup timer. All said, this was one fine piece of work.

Alan Sheppard's daughter was on hand for the MR launch.

Later in the morning, a special guest arrived, the daughter of Alan Sheppard. It appears she was in the area moving a daughter for school and was invited to make an appearance. From what is told, she was eager to come be a part of the event.

Assembling a rocket this big is a huge task. The upper airframe section was first lifted into position and held in place with pulleys and cables. Then, the aft section with the huge P13,000 motor was lifted into position and the rail guides aligned.

Lifting the upper airframe into place.

Once the main airframe was in position, it took about a half hour to get all the electronics correctly hooked up and rechecked just to be sure. Once the electronics were finished, it was a matter of getting the capsule into place.

Using the pulley again, the capsule was lifted into place, and secured, the tower was lifted similarly into place. Once the electronics for the tower air starts were installed, the film crew ascended to start the cameras on board. All that was left was to count it down.

Dohhhh! A BIG cato!

A year's worth of work, the blood sweat and tears of more than two dozen team members was about to culminate with the depressing of a launch button. Everyone had waited a long time for this, the chance to launch one of the largest hobby rockets built.

As the crew retreated with spectators in tow, the synchronization with the LCO began. At T-2 minutes, the call came over the FM radio that the Mercury Redstone was ready to fly.

A count from 15 ensued, and at 0, the button was depressed. What happened next wrenched the guts out of every spectator.

RealVideo G2: View the Mercury Redstone Cato

The huge P motor overpressurized and blew the Mercury Redstone to smithereens. Parts flew everywhere. It was the biggest cato many had ever seen. Long live the Mercury Redstone. Word has it that it will return, only next time, as a Little Joe II.

Additional pictures of the Mercury Redstone can be seen by clicking here.