Custom made engines

[ChrisHoudy]

A friend of mine and I are making our rockets completely from scratch, including our own engines made from KNO3 and Sugar. We’ve put the information of the rocket and engine into a simulator that estimates it will go 500 meters. Are there any laws/permits we should know about if firing in Pennsylvania?
Thanks in advance.

 

[prfesser]

I don't know about PA regs though I was born and raised there. However there is a s**tload and a half of federal regs. You have to be at least 18. Exp****ves can be made for one's own use...but only on your own property. And despite what YouTube shows or what anyone else tells you, federal law specifically says that sugar and KNO3 together is an exp****ve (don't take my word for it, search "orange book BATFE" and go through the list therein). Transporting the stuff anywhere else is a felony. If you're under 18, which I'm just assuming rightly or wrongly, you may get to experience the joys of juvenile court. Which will be trivial, compared to the joys of the attempts to explain things to your parents. Especially if you happen to damage property or people.

The manufacturers of commercial rocket motors have jumped through quite a few hoops in order to make it possible for enthusiasts to enjoy rocketry with very few legal restrictions (compared to using homemade motors).

Discussion of motor-making on TRF is relegated to the "[Restricted]Research" forum. Access requires that you be a member of TRA or NAR, and certified Level 1 or higher. There are good reasons for the restrictions...

Best regards -- Terry
...who knows a few things about motor-making... see https://www.rimworld.com/dt2/stuff/books.html

 

[Steve Shannon]

And if the Prfesser’s well written post on the legal hurdles don’t dissuade you, please consider that if you didn’t know the answers about legality, it’s entirely possible that you don’t know the common sense rules we have adopted as part of our Safety Codes in order to keep you safe when (not if) things happen that you didn’t expect.

 

[cwbullet]

Thread locked but put back in the main forum. Removed mixture info. Please do not post formulas or techniques.

 

[tfish]

for the nonbelievers....

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threa...in-jail-on-destructive-device-charges.152967/

https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2019/04/12/san-francisco-rocket-explosion-arrest/

Tony

 

[cwbullet]

for the nonbelievers....

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threa...in-jail-on-destructive-device-charges.152967/

https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2019/04/12/san-francisco-rocket-explosion-arrest/

Tony

If true, That is not the actions of a responsible member of our group.