Do you have a rocketry-related bucket list?

I will confess to having been going through a bit of a midlife crisis for the past 5 years (or maybe more lol). This has led to a lot of introspection based primarily on the facts that A) at some point I will get old if I'm lucky enough to get that far and B) die. Both facts suck, but that doesn't not change their validity.

So this got me to thinking that I should put together something like a bucket list. Bands I want to see. Vacations I want to go on. Foods I want to try. Ways to make the world a better place. And I know it sounds silly, but rockets I want to build and fly and maybe even events I want to attend, ie, NARAM.

This is still in it's initial phase of development, but I think I have a few rocket-related goals that I would like to see go on the "bucket list".

1) Build and fly a LOC K-Load. This is a classic. I think the AeroTech L400 would be the right motor.
2) Build and fly an AAA Model Aviations Fuels Magnum PA Crude. Yes, I have one in the garage. I have a pile of AAA stuff .
3) Start a blog based around vintage mid-power and high-power rockets/kits/launches/etc.
4) Build and fly my super cool KopterRockets Pterosaur - https://www.kopterrockets.com/
5) Pick a NAR contest event and participate in it. The smaller, nerdier, and more technical, the better.
6) Write an article for Sport Rocketry magazine.

How about you guys and gals? What do you want to build/fly/experience in this hobby before your time is up?

I want to put one up in Space to add to all the other Garbage in Space.

J Blatz said:

I will confess to having been going through a bit of a midlife crisis for the past 5 years (or maybe more lol). This has led to a lot of introspection based primarily on the facts that A) at some point I will get old if I'm lucky enough to get that far and B) die. Both facts suck, but that doesn't not change their validity.

So this got me to thinking that I should put together something like a bucket list. Bands I want to see. Vacations I want to go on. Foods I want to try. Ways to make the world a better place. And I know it sounds silly, but rockets I want to build and fly and maybe even events I want to attend, ie, NARAM.

This is still in it's initial phase of development, but I think I have a few rocket-related goals that I would like to see go on the "bucket list".

1) Build and fly a LOC K-Load. This is a classic. I think the AeroTech L400 would be the right motor.
2) Build and fly an AAA Model Aviations Fuels Magnum PA Crude. Yes, I have one in the garage. I have a pile of AAA stuff .
3) Start a blog based around vintage mid-power and high-power rockets/kits/launches/etc.
4) Build and fly my super cool KopterRockets Pterosaur - https://www.kopterrockets.com/
5) Pick a NAR contest event and participate in it. The smaller, nerdier, and more technical, the better.
6) Write an article for Sport Rocketry magazine.

How about you guys and gals? What do you want to build/fly/experience in this hobby before your time is up?

Click to expand...

Hey Jason. Man you and I are kind of tracking it seems. My birthday is, well, today which has got me to thinking about a bunch of things. That, and it's crazy you mention the LOC K-Load. There was some discussion in another forum and the LOC Ultimate came up. I must admit that I initially confused the Ultimate, a more "recent" and much smaller rocket, with the K-Load. Wasn't the K-Load something like a 7.67" or 5.54" rocket with a bazillion motor mounts?

In any event, I truly wish you check item #3 off your bucket list sooner rather than later..... I'm really nostalgic for a lot of the old school kits; although admittedly I'm not old school enough to have known about the AAA kits like you mentioned. Those would be super cool to get to know nonetheless...........

The only think ever on my list was making my own APCP motors. That bucket got me back into the hobby several years ago.

K load has a 98mm mount for a soup can K motor (1 grain). Thought it was about the size of a loc magnum, but not sure.

My rocketry bucket list is kinda short honestly. I'd like to go to NARAM, meet Vern Estes, and have him sign my Big Bertha, and launch all of my scratch built designs. Other than that, I did my week visit to Tahiti, and a week in Puerto Vallarta Mexico. There's still a few destinations I have in mind. Affording what destinations that are still a safe bet, will always remain an option.

Make it to Balls...... did that.

Make it to 40,000 ft....... came close.

100,000 ft will do it. My B list.

I have a bucket rocket.

Does that count?

-Kevin

troj said:

I have a bucket rocket.

Does that count?

-Kevin

Click to expand...

best answer.

1. Going to NARAM
2. R/C rocket boosted gliders are an aspect of the hobby that i have always wanted to delve into and will someday. i think that part will have to wait until the kids move out tho.
3. I also would like to find a way to make the hobby more affordable. I am spending way too much on motors...

Going to NARAM is on my list....and I'm planning to go this year (start the drive a week from Wednesday). I've already got the Vern Estes autograph on a Big Bertha - collected that at NSL last year . I got to spend a good portion of last Saturday with him and Gleda at Model Rocketry Day at the Museum of Flight in Seattle and the party afterward.

I think putting a relatively small model (no more than H powered, G if possible) up to at least a mile and recovering is on my list. I'd also like to do at least one Mach-buster.

Writing a piece for Sport Rocketry sounds like a good idea....I've a couple of ideas along that line but it takes some work to get to the actual article from there....

troj said:

I have a bucket rocket.

Does that count?

-Kevin

Click to expand...

Not as bad as one of the things on my bucket list:
Recover with a bucket recovered from a bucket rocket with bucket recovery a bucket rocket flown by the master of bucket rockets recovered by bucket recovery...

Obtain a fully functional Cineroc (I'm still missing a pulley)
Create the Cineroc DV (Digital Video) based on the 808 #16 or better camera
Build a completely accurate reproduction of the Estes 1974 Catalog Cineroc
Obtain a complete stock Cineroc (complete with box and all the little "goodies") (This includes a stock Omega w/o the payload section)
Find someone who would produce my Cineroc based short film.
Successfully create the 3D printed Cineroc (film and DV) for anybody to download, print, assemble and fly.
Learn how to turn (or lathe) my own balsa nosecones.
Learn how to silkscreen my own decals and Tee Shirts.

Build a Binder Design Velociraptor (dual deploy, but looks mostly stock, except for the small Cineroc inspired periscopes protruding from the AV bay).
Finish at least 2/3rds (preferably 100% of my existing build pile), and all of my future purchases.
Successfully design 42 (or more) rockets for sale (I have many of the basic designs already... in my head, and/or listed on a sheet of paper).
Build and clone all commercial rockets that were designed as rocket cameras, in both film and digital media.
Teach a class on rocketry again, preferably in the US, and in Asia.
Obtain my L1 within a year, Eventually reach my L2 and L3.

Launch rockets in China (Great Wall) and Taiwan (Taipei 101) (Digital Cinerocs).
Find Herb Desind's lost footage, digitize it and share it w/the world.

Convince everyone here to donate at least one rocket to every teacher who wants one (assembled), to inspire future BARs.

I crossed one off the list. I met Vern and Gleda Estes at The Museum of flight. They signed a nosecone and a parachute for me. I would also like to hit 10,000 feet altitude, and go to a NARAM.

Mine have been fairly simple. I wanted to build a more durable Optima. Nailed hat with bluetube and hit another with it by getting L1 on it. Got a mile flight on my 3" darkstar and kicked off my first K at the same time. I'm having a hard time picking my place in the hobby, and really can't keep going bigger.

The remaining bucket list: machbuster, break 10k, build a two stager, and mix my own motors. One day, I'd also like to build another optima, this time 38mm and DD.

I found and obtained stock optima and shadow kits in the box. One special day I will sit down and build them very very slowly.

Build, finish, and fly all the rockets in my build pile.

Balls, pure and simple. I'd like to get to Balls and grab some respectable altitude.

grouch said:

Balls, pure and simple. I'd like to get to Balls and grab some respectable altitude.

Click to expand...

+1.

pyrobob said:

Hey Jason. Man you and I are kind of tracking it seems. My birthday is, well, today which has got me to thinking about a bunch of things. That, and it's crazy you mention the LOC K-Load. There was some discussion in another forum and the LOC Ultimate came up. I must admit that I initially confused the Ultimate, a more "recent" and much smaller rocket, with the K-Load. Wasn't the K-Load something like a 7.67" or 5.54" rocket with a bazillion motor mounts?

In any event, I truly wish you check item #3 off your bucket list sooner rather than later..... I'm really nostalgic for a lot of the old school kits; although admittedly I'm not old school enough to have known about the AAA kits like you mentioned. Those would be super cool to get to know nonetheless...........

Click to expand...

Isn't it weird how the "tracking" thing can happen?

The K-Load is similar in dimension to the Magnum (5.38" tubing). Fiberglass fins. Single 98MM mount. It was designed around the single use coffee can AeroTech K.

I think that I am going to get that blog started. I have very limited computer skills so we'll see how that goes.

I have had a motor bucket list and each year new years resolutions.

Last year it was an I59W and the K1103X and dual deploy..this year my resolutions are going MACH and breaking 10k also. Oh..and my L3 certification ..the M2250 is on my motor bucket list too! Some new motors have appeared on my bucket list .. like the new long burn skid mark, maybe the H45 DMS in a min diameter blue tube blackhawk clone..

Recreating the Funk Saucer and flying it at the Lucerne night launch was kinda a bucket list item, definetely something done long ago i wanted to do again- and now it is done.

Kenny

Had one, but now my bucket as a hole in it.

OK! OK! I will shut up, now. Geez everyone lighten up, already.

Well, I'm going to partially fulfill one bucket list item tomorrow: Fly the Estes Saturn 1B I bought in 1974, built horribly, stuck in a box, and started rebuilding a year or two back. I still have to finish the tower and a few greebly bits, and finish the difficult parts of the paint job . . . but it will fly.

I have a lot of moderate term bucket list items:

Finally build my upscale Lil' Beth X-2.

Build my Apogee Saturn 1b and Saturn V models.

Finish building a Mars Lander I was given around 1977.

I want 100,000 feet.

And always on my bucket list is my next flight—every next flight.

Hmm...fun to think about...rocketry bucket list. OK here goes:
1) L3 cert
2) Win an RCBG event at NARAM
3) Go to Internats overseas at least once
4) Crack 50Kft with 10K N-S (pretty sure it can be done with a boosted dart)
5) Run a small rocket oriented company as a retirement gig
5a) and have it be half as good as SEMROC was!
6) Learn to make really small EX motors (10 and 13mm)

Fly something BIG (like think R or S motors...)

Get one into orbit.


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I have a full EXCEL sheet of things to do or purchase

My bucket list is simple...
Find something that I enjoy, can afford, and have the time for, then do it till I kick the bucket.

Rocket wise I would like to make it to and participate in a large rocket event or 2 (LDRS, NSL, NARAM, Thunderstruck, Freedom Launch, etc)
Build and fly a 7.5" Starship Vega and a 7.5" BSD THOR