Rocketry Planet

BELMONT, Massachusetts USA — Back in the early 90's, the "Electric Slide" was made popular by choreographer Ric Silver, who claims to have invented the dance as well as The Robot and breakdancing.

In the top photo, Space Warp Technology's magnetic slides for launching hobby rockets. The bottom photo shows a rocket equipped with the slides ready for take off. A stop at the top of the rail, rod or pipe cleanly separates the guides from the rocket at the appropriate time.

About the same time Silver was breaking new ground on dance floors nationally, Arnold Roquerre of Space Warp Technology was breaking new ground in innovative model and high power rocket launching systems, in this case, a magnetic launching system.

What made Roquerre's magnetic launching system so unique was that it used magnetic slides. This totally new concept for launching model and high power rockets had never been done by anyone, not even a government space agency, until 1997.

According to the Space Warp Technology website, the advantages of passive and active magnetic launch slides includes:

• The launch rail does not have to be lowered and then raised.
• Virtually no drag.
• Easy attachment of rocket, no more trying to line-up buttons with the rail.
• The slides can be used on one rail size for small and large rockets.
• Odd-shaped rockets can be easily attached without any extension to reach rail guides.
• No rails needed, as magnetic slides for pipe can be ordered for any size copper pipe, creating a rigid, sturdy, inexpensive and easy to assemble launch stand can be made. Existing rail slides with attachment can be used on a two pipe launch stand made of copper.

In the near future, Roquerre plans to release electromagnetic slides for very large and/or heavy rockets. For more information, see:

http://www.spacewarptechnology.com/SWT/MAG/magnetic_launchning_1.htm