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Project_Gemini

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Hello all, I wanted to take a few minutes and introduce myself to the forum. My passion for the hobby began as a young child, late 80's into early 90's with my father. We used to create, build, and launch rockets together. However, I have not touched a model rocket since 1996, when I was thirteen years old. I believe this is when I started competitively racing RC cars.

My grandfather was a Space and Missile Systems Technician with the U.S. Air Force and worked on the Gemini. His name was inscribed on the American Space Museum and Space Walk of Fame in Titusville, FL. I think this is why my father enjoyed model rocketry. He has also been employees with NASA for 35+ year, so that might help also. They both worked in the field, and I think I flew way off trejectory by joining law enforcement. [Insert bacon joke here].

The memories of model rocketry brought me back to the hobby, after 21 year. Now that I have a young son it is time to enjoy the hobby again. I should be purchasing a LPR soon to introduce him into it. We shall see how it goes from there. I am glad to be here and hope to share and learn from all of you.
 
That sounds like a good choice. I want to warn you, though, rocketry can be addicting! When I became a BAR in 2009, I had no desire to do anything more than low power. But one thing led to another, and now here I am building and flying high power rockets. Unfortunately, my son never got into it, even when he was younger. I hope yours shows more interest. Whatever happens, I highly recommend you try to find a local club to fly with. Attending club launches is so much fun!
 
That sounds like a good choice. I want to warn you, though, rocketry can be addicting! When I became a BAR in 2009, I had no desire to do anything more than low power. But one thing led to another, and now here I am building and flying high power rockets. Unfortunately, my son never got into it, even when he was younger. I hope yours shows more interest. Whatever happens, I highly recommend you try to find a local club to fly with. Attending club launches is so much fun!
I had to Google BAR. It is a kind of cool that I have a title now. I have a sneaky suspicion that I am going to move up the tiers from LPR to MPR to HPR. We shall see how much interest my son has, and more importantly how much my wife allows.
 
Yep, Born Again Rocketeer. I just wish my dad was still alive to see what I'm launching now. He used to encourage my rocketry hobby, and loved watching me launch.
 
I agree with qquake in that you should look for a club. Where are you located?
 
MDRA....once you go there. it's all over man. Get ready for HPR. LOL
Yeah, I do not think I will be going to many of their launches. They are relatively far away. NARHAMS launch sites are much closer to me, and more fresable.
 
Yeah, I am doing a bunch of research right now. It does not seem the hobby has changed to drastically in 21 years, at least to LPR. I think I am going to start with the ASP - Corporal (18mm) with an A8-3.

The hobby might not be *drastically* different but the number of options has gone up significantly with vendors like Fliskits, Semroc, etc. there are far more choices than just Estes.
 
Can you attend the TARC flyoffs as a spectator and bring the wife and kid? That should be pretty impressive and demonstrate how this is not just a hobby but a fun way to stimulate interest in education (STEM and also project management). Looks great on a college application.

https://www.rocketcontest.org


Well, it happened. I got the first annoyed look, from the wife, after spending $50.00 at Lowes. It can only get better from here, right?
 
Can you attend the TARC flyoffs as a spectator and bring the wife and kid? That should be pretty impressive and demonstrate how this is not just a hobby but a fun way to stimulate interest in education (STEM and also project management). Looks great on a college application.

https://www.rocketcontest.org
Yeah, my son is only 2.5 years old but I want him to experience it early. We should be taking a family trip, in February or March, to the NARHAMS's Goddard launch. My wife knows my intentions and his just giving me a hard time, just like any other day.

Question, is there a place that I can find TARC flyoffs near me, or do I have to wait for the one in The Plains, VA?
 
The national flyoffs are once a year in Virginia (The Plains). Practice flying occurs all the time, with the most practicing going on right now nationwide. Teams can practice on their own or at club launches and when they do official qualification attempts, they need the "Observer" there, so those often occur at NAR launches.


We had a LOT of TARC flights at our club launch on Saturday here in the Los Angeles basin. We expect a large number at our next launch on Sunday and at all the launches through the end of qualification.

They are big ("mid size") and loud and impressive, so all of the beginners and younger family members thoroughly enjoy those flights. Interested parents ask lots of questions, so we hand them lots of TARC info.

Yeah, my son is only 2.5 years old but I want him to experience it early. We should be taking a family trip, in February or March, to the NARHAMS's Goddard launch. My wife knows my intentions and his just giving me a hard time, just like any other day.

Question, is there a place that I can find TARC flyoffs near me, or do I have to wait for the one in The Plains, VA?
 
The national flyoffs are once a year in Virginia (The Plains). Practice flying occurs all the time, with the most practicing going on right now nationwide. Teams can practice on their own or at club launches and when they do official qualification attempts, they need the "Observer" there, so those often occur at NAR launches.


We had a LOT of TARC flights at our club launch on Saturday here in the Los Angeles basin. We expect a large number at our next launch on Sunday and at all the launches through the end of qualification.

They are big ("mid size") and loud and impressive, so all of the beginners and younger family members thoroughly enjoy those flights. Interested parents ask lots of questions, so we hand them lots of TARC info.
I will definitely check that out around here. When I launched rockets, with my father, we did it in the Mojave desert (I lived in the Mojave Desert for 18 years). There was a great rocket club out there, I do not know if they are still out there. This was over 13 years ago.
 
Welcome aboard! My son is 6, and he has both an interest in rocketry and astronomy (attends the Celestial Searchers meetings in Howard County). I see a career in spaceflight for him. He also has that need to know why and how things work.

We drive over an hour each way to MDRA launches once a month. Well worth it. NARHAMS is a great club, too. But I am addicted to the roar of M, N and O impulse motors.

Next month, one of our members, Tom Cohen, will be test launching his new Big Blue rocket on an M6000. It weighs 550 pounds and could easily fit a person inside it. Needs to be loaded on the pad with a crane. If all goes well, he will launch it again with an O motor in April. Cool stuff.
 
welcome..

build one from each suppler.. Estes, Fliskit, Semroc.. Madcow!
Fly one of everything.. A8-3, B6-4, C6-5, D12-3.. G80-7W!
get a copy of Open Rocket, and design & SIM a few..
Buy an altimeter..

:D
 
Welcome aboard! My son is 6, and he has both an interest in rocketry and astronomy (attends the Celestial Searchers meetings in Howard County). I see a career in spaceflight for him. He also has that need to know why and how things work.

We drive over an hour each way to MDRA launches once a month. Well worth it. NARHAMS is a great club, too. But I am addicted to the roar of M, N and O impulse motors.

Next month, one of our members, Tom Cohen, will be test launching his new Big Blue rocket on an M6000. It weighs 550 pounds and could easily fit a person inside it. Needs to be loaded on the pad with a crane. If all goes well, he will launch it again with an O motor in April. Cool stuff.

It sounds like we are not to far from each other. I am in Carroll County. I have been thinking of checking out an MDRA launch but it is quite a hike (My wife also won't go across the Bay Bridge). It sounds like it might be worth it to check out in the upcoming future.
 
It sounds like we are not to far from each other. I am in Carroll County. I have been thinking of checking out an MDRA launch but it is quite a hike (My wife also won't go across the Bay Bridge). It sounds like it might be worth it to check out in the upcoming future.

Board member and former vice-president Neil McGilvray drives over from Carrol County. I don't know if he has extra room in his vehicle, but I could get you in touch with him, if you'd like. PM me if you want his contact info.
 
Probably ROC. Still there, still going strong.

We launch at the Santa Fe Dam in Irwindale CA, just down the freeway from Pasadena CA.

We have the Fire Department permit and written permission from the 'property owner' (LA County Dept of Parks & Recreation, The City of Irwindale and the US Army Corps of Engineers). We also pay rent to use the site. You can see the dam from space.

https://home.earthlink.net/~mebowitz/

OK, I never saw this before:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/S...06f232d26bb16!8m2!3d34.1128333!4d-117.9568094



I will definitely check that out around here. When I launched rockets, with my father, we did it in the Mojave desert (I lived in the Mojave Desert for 18 years). There was a great rocket club out there, I do not know if they are still out there. This was over 13 years ago.
 
Probably ROC. Still there, still going strong.

We launch at the Santa Fe Dam in Irwindale CA, just down the freeway from Pasadena CA....[/url]

I found it online. It seems like they are still going strong. MDARS (Mojave Desert Advanced Rocketry Society) is the name of it, and it was very enjoyable and a breathtaking backdrop.

https://www.mojavedesertrocketry.org
 
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