LDRS 37

Despite my best efforts, things didn't get finished up on my Demon 150 until the Friday night before the drag race (yes, that's two days in to the launch already). Once construction was complete, I built my motor while Tim helped me finalize the avionics bay. I also mixed up some thermite for everyone to use so we could be sure we'd get a great liftoff shot. Then, we had to set up pads waaaaay out in the field to meet the intent of the new Tripoli drag race rules. As the sun was beginning to set on Saturday evening, the hour of the race had arrived, and we loaded everything into trucks for the drive to the away cell. After appropriate amounts of heckling and ribbing, it was the moment of truth. At zero, four rockets left the ground simultaneously (the others were held up by electrical problems), mine among the bunch. Two of the Ms suffered catos towards the end of the burn, but mine was flying hot, straight, and normal, and at shutdown coasted silently into the darkening skies. We saw one descending into the orchard next door, but mine was downrange with the other three. After a few minutes with the tracker and Tim's quad, I located my parachute sitting atop a breezy field of wheat. I wrestled the chute out, followed by the nose cone, and then finally the booster. Everything looked great, though post-flight disassembly found a small bulge at the head end of the motor case—close, but no cigar. Instead, I returned to the launch site for a celebratory margarita and tacos. A great first flight!