2018 National Sport Launch (NSL)

No problem, we all have opinions. I guess if faced with a similar scenario in the future the option to look the other way should also be considered.

Time to move on.

Big THANKS to the organizers for putting on a great launch. Our whole gang really enjoyed the event. Looking forward to coming back next year for NYPower 22.

Thanks for posting your photos Horizon! These two were of my MDRM going up on an Aerotech G40-7. I was so busy all weekend with my three kids that I didn't even take my camera out of my bag lol. These shots are awesome, thanks again!

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NSL-2018

Just want to add my sincere 'Thanks!!' to all the crew at MARS and everyone who pitched in to what I can only
describe as a "great launch weekend". I was there Friday, Saturday, and most of Sunday before having to return
to Maryland and it was a top-notch event, pure and simple. And, I got to chat with Vern and Gleda and I'm still
smiling about that... and will be for some time to come.

So rather then try to mention names...I just want to thank "Team Clune" for a superb and wonderful job.

I, as well, want to give my sincere thanks to Bill & Mary Beth for the work they did, as well as the rest of the team (sorry, forgot most of your names!) Most excellent job guys! Looking forward to the nest time we all get together for a launch!

I might be the only one who officially lost a rocket (the ISP caliber that went up early Monday morning, was never found. I assume the e-match was a dud ,a nd it landed in the field behind the river, behind the runway & hanger..

I ate a lot of Pig. I like Pig. The 3-legged people do good pig! (missed the ribs though.. )

Great Banquet too!! some super prizes! (and now I know why Mabel is called 'Mabel'!!)

it was great to talk to the manufs, as well as a lot of the vendors. (Sad about Fliskit though..) Gloria is always fun to talk to!

One of my highlights was, I was standing at the 3-legged pig trailer, and I see two people with grey Estes hats. "Cool hats" I said, along with a little banter, and then also commenting on 'his' blue Estes shirt. Then it clicked, the goatee.. With a big smile, and like a kid seeing Santa "Thanks you! thank you for buying Estes!!" vigorously shaking Ellis' hand .. Thank you!! So glad to shake your hand!!!" then and a bit more about buying a business, the mess "they" left it in, etc.. the last thing I said was: "Mega der red Max.." She replied: "yeah, we've heard that a lot today!" with a smile..



Curious if anyone has any stats from the event:

Which kit was the most popular (which one seemed to be represented the most?)
How many Der Red Maxes were there? (All variants)
How many Madcow AGM Pikes? I saw about 6 or 8..
Warlocks too, anyone have a number?
Average height / altitude? I’m guessing about 3000’..
What did the heaviest rocket weigh in at?
Most popular motor size and propellant type? Sparkies are popular, but were they the prominent propellant? And in a G? a J? did one motor class dominate?

crossfire said:

What AT demo motor is this?

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M1955 dark matter

Update on my lost rocket:
SavPrato delivered the rocket to someone I know in Toronto today so I will get it the next time they come down for a visit. He even gave me a DVD with videos and photos he took of the rocket. I definitely would have never found so thanks again SavPrato.

Good information Steve Shannon - can always take a picture of rocket - GPS location ( even if you just have a cell).

I found a rocket at LDRS34 that landed while I was way out. It had a phone number on it so I called the owner right there and asked him. He said “I never saw the launch, it was on the pad and they pressed the wrong button!”
So I now have my cell, NAR TRA #, name and TRF Handle on each component just in case.

Thanks for the kind words about NSL this year, everyone. This was a labor of love by the MARS board and some other key people on the committee. It was an event we decided to pursue after making significant investments in new equipment last year. Thanks to NAR for the use of 18 LPR pads, several HPR pads, a LPR launch control system, sound system, and just general help. Thanks to everyone who came early and stayed late to help set up and take down. Special thanks to the National Warplane Museum for the use of their airfield. Hope that all of you got to see the Memphis Belle take to the air.

Thanks to all of our sponsors who generously donated a huge amount of prizes. Thanks to Vern and Gleda who seemed to have a lot of fun talking to rocketeers the whole weekend. They were full of energy.

We estimate that we had over 300 registered fliers (including families) on Saturday. The lines got a little long, but we tried to move as quickly as possible to get them into the air. We had well over 1,000 flights, with roughly half of them taking place on Sunday. The night launch was a blast. We still had a lot of people on Monday.

Bill Clune has set up a Google photo library for people to upload photos so that all can see. We are currently compiling stories for Sport Rocketry Magazine. Some of your flights may find their way into an article.

Looking into the future, NYPower 22 is planned for Memorial Day weekend next year. We will probably start promoting it early next year.

Also please check out www.marsclub.org to look at our launch schedule the rest of the year. We'd love to have you drop in on a club launch. Kids always fly free, and nonmember adults only pay a $10 range fee. We will have launches at the NWM monthly into October...and if you are brave, New Year's Day. If you are in the neighborhood, stop by. Our waiver is 12,000' AGL, although as the corn gets higher people generally keep flight altitudes a little lower.

There were rockets returned to the museum manager on Tuesday and Wednesday, the farmers has a couple at his barns as well.

EeebeeE said:

Has this been found yet? If not, PM a message to me with a photo of it, and we will keep an eye out. Also let us know if you simmed the flight and had an estimated altitude.

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It has since been found.

Some photos of my Big @$$ Alpha, which flew Saturday on an L1040 Dark Matter Motor. Launch photos are courtesy of Dan Michael, and LOC Precision. Onboard were video snapshots captures from a #18 1080P keychain camera with 120 degree wide angle lens.

The shock cord snapped at apogee, but both booster (which descended under the drogue chute) and payload (which came down under the main) were recovered with only minor damage. It will definitely fly again.

This is the link to the video.

[YOUTUBE]47H3cCiG4iE&t=38s[/YOUTUBE]

EeebeeE said:

Some photos of my Big @$$ Alpha, which flew Saturday on an L1040 Dark Matter Motor. Launch photos are courtesy of Dan Michael, and LOC Precision. Onboard were video snapshots captures from a #18 1080P keychain camera with 120 degree wide angle lens.

The shock cord snapped at apogee, but both booster (which descended under the drogue chute) and payload (which came down under the main) were recovered with only minor damage. It will definitely fly again.

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What was the shock cord made of. Didn't look to be a hard ejection at all.

wclune said:

There were rockets returned to the museum manager on Tuesday and Wednesday, the farmers has a couple at his barns as well.

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I had lost a purple ISP caliber on Monday morning. looks like the ejection never fired. We walked all along eh back (behind) the farm edge / river tree line,. I assume it either went into the river or the net field over. I assume ballistic too!

(Dark purple nose, medium purple av bay, 'lavender' purple body. Should also have a spent I65W in it retained my an aeropack retainer..)

Bill W. got a great shot of Sludge Puppy on a J380 Smoky Sam.

crossfire said:

What was the shock cord made of. Didn't look to be a hard ejection at all.

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Nylon, but it may have been a little worn.

Horizon said:

From what I recall, the only N launch

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Flew these two on Ns as well