Rocketry Planet

GERLACH, Nevada USA -- Approximately 200 rocket enthusiasts were in the Black Rock Desert over the weekend to blast rockets thousands of feet into the sky for the 15th annual national experimental launch of the Tripoli Rocketry Association.

"If you've got the (courage) to fly it, this is the place to do it," said Wedge Oldham, designer of one of the most powerful rockets at this year's three-day event that ended Sunday.

The association acquired waivers from the Federal Aviation Administration for the opportunity to launch experimental rockets as high as 100,000 feet.

On Saturday, the highest-flying rocket soared an estimated 80,000 feet. It was constructed by Gene Nowaczyk of Missouri.

Oldham, Jeff Anesetti, both of Los Angeles, and several friends and family members built a rocket designed to generate 2,850 pounds of thrust force for seven seconds. That's enough to lift a small car into the air.

Rocket power is classified by a letter of the alphabet.

Most model rocket motors bought in hobby stores are A, B or C motors, event officials said. Every rocket motor letter designation doubles the amount of power of the previous letter.

Oldham said high-powered rocketry begins at H motors and the highest certification available, a level three, is for M, N and O motors.

"We're one of three people that are flying a Q motor (at Saturday's event)," Oldham said. "It's a significant event in rocketry history today. ... We're not the first, but we're one of the few people who are doing it on the planet."

The event provides a venue where rocket professionals can create new motor sizes.

"One of the main learning tools in rocketry is, surprisingly enough, how did your last flight fail," Oldham said. "If you have a successful flight, you really don't learn anything.

"On my last project, two of the fins sheered off...as it went through the sound barrier," he said. "So, in this (rocket's) fins, we made beefier fins."

All projects are reviewed and approved for safety before launch by the Tripoli Rocketry Association.

But that doesn't stop the unexpected from happening.

The rocket created by Team Numb from Portland, Ore., disintegrated in the sky sending a parachute, smoke tracers, and parts of the rocket's body in separate directions. The team wandered across the dry lake bed picking up debris.

The Tripoli Rocketry Association can boast that some of the most famous names in rocketry are members, including Ky Michaelson of Bloomington, Minn. He was the first amateur to launch a rocket into space in May 2004.

It soared 72 miles at 3,420 mph, Michaelson said. He recovered most of the rocket the next day about 26 miles downrange of the Black Rock launch site because it held a tracking device.

"Our reason for doing it was to open the doors for the private sector to get into space," Michaelson said. "Now consequently there are a number of people lining up to put rockets into space and because of our efforts they are able to work with Washington, D.C. and do that."

He said it took two-and half-years to get a permit that previously hadn't existed from the government, and he didn't know what he was getting into when he started the $700,000 venture.

But he's given up his rocketry hobby.

Michaelson said that now that he has accomplished his dream, he's content to let others to pursue theirs.

Rocket Launch In The Blackrock Desert Photo Gallery

Reader comments

#1

Quote:

But he's given up his rocketry hobby.

I saw the reference to this in the article stating that Ky Michaelson had given up his rocketry hobby. What does that mean? Has Ky quit hobby rocketry? The Rocketman site is still up, and I assume open for business. What does this mean?

crontab on 10-02-2006 01:22 PM

#2

"The rocket created by Team Numb from Portland, Ore., disintegrated in the sky sending a parachute, smoke tracers, and parts of the rocket's body in separate directions. The team wandered across the dry lake bed picking up debris."

Sometimes beig a numb-nuts is predictable.

As for Ky giving up o rocketry, his website indicates he has simply refocused on commercial activity and historical preservation. He is a promoter. His promotions worked!

Sometimes when you win, the best thing to do is retire, rest on your laurels and review history with your freiends.

Don't count him out. He is a zealot. I have a suggestion for young bucks out there. Partner with him. YOU do the work, get the permits, raise sponsors, and exploit his consultive expertise to limit your mistakes. In that sense, his value cannot be properly appreciated.

Just Jerry

Just Jerry on 10-02-2006 02:42 PM

#3

"One of the main learning tools in rocketry is, surprisingly enough, how did your last flight fail," Oldham said. "If you have a successful flight, you really don't learn anything.


This is a load of crap. There's plenty to be learned without crashing. Granted there is something to take away from a crash, sometimes, but to say you haven't learned anything from a successful flight is a load.

DumasBro2 on 10-04-2006 08:18 AM

#4 Warning: Load Of Crap Ahead!

Quote:

This is a load of crap. There's plenty to be learned without crashing. Granted there is something to take away from a crash, sometimes, but to say you haven't learned anything from a successful flight is a load.

I'm going to have to agree with you on this one. This sounds like the statement you would make to a media reporter to justify ballistic failures, which happens a lot on Black Rock. It's part of the reason the media attends, to see some fire and destruction, some blood and guts.

But yeah, pretty much a load of crap. Heck, you had to learn something just to get a successful flight up and recovered, right? You had to learn how to construct it, how to assemble the propulsion, how to configure the recovery, etc. It's just a poor justification for crashing big rockets. He was just trying to make crashing look like part of the process. Sometimes part of the process, but not necessarily.

crontab on 10-04-2006 12:30 PM

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