ROCStock X

November 1999

/ Lucerne Dry Lake

4 flights, 1694 N-sec burned

Both days of ROC's tenth semi-annual launch were clear and windless. Aerotech was on site demonstrating the new 98mm Blue Thunder reloads, eliciting awed reactions from all on site. This was the first launch that Wedge Oldham showed symptoms of "big rocket fever", flying a 3x K1100T cluster (with motor ejection?!). Kurt Gugisberg and Bob Csallo drag raced rockets on M1939s! And my great aunt Mary Hunter also came to the lakebed to see what all the excitement was about; she survived well and had a great time!

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Flight 1: LaserLOC 2.1, AT H123

This was the first flight of our shiny new Mach-busting rocket, on an H123W to test the rocket and the ALTACC and make sure we could get data back to show we had gone Mach. Of course, Murphy got tucked into the payload section next to the ALTACC, and the Laser/LOC cracked a fin on landing after a beautiful boost. Heavier fiberglass next time...

Altitude: 3,108 ft

Flight 2: Vulcanite, AT I211

We decided to try it on an I211 because RockSim said it should work. We flew this at ROCStock 9 in June of 1999. It went 6100 feet really really fast. It also flew really straight with just a little wobble. The walk was relatively short, and the altimeter said 6061 feet. Success.

Altitude: 6,061 ft

Flight 3: Bruiser, AT J460

With the day going well and the breeze staying down, I decided to go for it with the punchy J460T in the Bruiser. To keep the rocket from shifting on the pad prior to flight, my dad had built a PVC stand for the rocket to sit on, which worked well. The big rocket lumbered off the pad on the bright blue flame, and headed skyward for a successful flight.

Altitude: 1,801 ft

Flight 4: Small Arcas, AT H123

For our first flight of the new lightweight-scratch built-paper-38mm-motored Arcas, I chose the H123W. I was really excited, as this was the first time I'd put rail buttons on a rocket, and thus the first time I got to go off Pad 39A! The flight was gorgeous and straight, with the orange Aerotech chute deploying at apogee.