Huntsville Area rocketry?

[blackbrandt]

Hello everyone,
I've been looking at University of Alabama in Huntsville as one of my college options, but I have some questions for someone who lives in the area.

1. What clubs are nearby? I saw HARA was located somewhat near...
2. Do college students attend these launches?
3. How hard is it to maintain working on rockets while in college?

Anyone with experience at UAH would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks everyone!

Matt

 

[tfish]

NASA's Student Launch https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/studentlaunch/home/index.html is held in Huntsville April 5-9th (?) I went last year and really liked the area. Marshal Space flight Center was amazing. I'm not sure if the place we launch from..Bragg Farm...is one of the local clubs site or not. I'm looking forward to going again this year.

Did I say I really liked the area?

Tony

 

[djs]

I'm nowhere nearby, but the Manchester field has quite a few launches (I went to NSL there this year, and southern thunder there last year).

However, you should also consider Northern IL/Southern WI for college, so you can enjoy nice warm winters, flights in the swamp at Bong, and the scary skeleton guy who sometimes appears at MWP.

 

[SS/EA 6BBL 71 Cuda]

However, you should also consider Northern IL/Southern WI for college, so you can enjoy nice warm winters, flights in the swamp at Bong, and the scary skeleton guy who sometimes appears at MWP.

Huntsville is a very beautiful area Matt...I've had the pleasure to attend one USLI there. I'd like to point out that if you consider-

1. Northwestern in Chicago. (Tripoli Wi/ WOOSH)
2. Purdue in West Lafayette Indiana. (Indiana Rocketry)
3. Norte Dame in South Bend Indiana. (Michiana)
4. Michigan at Ann Arbor Michigan. (Jackson)
5. U of I in Champaign Illinois...(CIA)
And, who could forget QCRS! (Princeton Illinois Vo-Tech) :lol:

You'll be in some good hands....

Have you ever seen snow? EVEN David Reese came out here from Kali-for-nia and, survived!
Once he found "Snowpants" things went quite well for him.
Don't worry about the "Skeleton Guy" though he gives most awesome hugs! He ALSO almost broke a few ribs with the one he gave me at MWP 14!

We ARE the Bermuda Triangle of Rocketry in an area of the world where most consider us to be "Hicks"...Once you come here you'll always come back...someday you WILL.
Your inner soul wants to-

Oh! Kansas isn't that far from here-Argonia!

 

[markkoelsch]

Matt, what is your intended major? Let's start with that important question.

 

[TangoJuliet]

+1 for Notre Dame!

 

[proflaser]

HARA meetings are monthly at the Space and Rocket Center across the street from the UAH campus. We are the only club in the north Alabama area. We fly HP at a field an hour out in TN but have launches for LP MP within the county. College students fly with us as individuals or in school teams. It's a good way to make professional contacts. College life is busy and sport rocketry might have to take a back seat, but if you discipline yourself you can still build and fly.

 

[Nytrunner]

HARA meetings are monthly at the Space and Rocket Center across the street from the UAH campus. We are the only club in the north Alabama area. We fly HP at a field an hour out in TN but have launches for LP MP within the county. College students fly with us as individuals or in school teams. It's a good way to make professional contacts. College life is busy and sport rocketry might have to take a back seat, but if you discipline yourself you can still build and fly.

There is also a student rocket group at UAH. I'm not in college anymore, but that is an excellent way to do rocketry and school AT THE SAME TIME .

HARA is a great group of people. They partner with Music City Missile Club in Nashville and share HPR hosting in Manchester. They launch April (?) through October. Then Phoenix Missile Works' season is over the winter further south.
The manchester field is a great place to do HPR, but, since this is an Eastern field, trees abound all around and good flying sense/motor selection is necessary if you want to see your rockets again. That's where I did L1. That much clear ground in one place is pretty rare over here. And its a Turf farm, so landing is sweet.

Some students come to certify, some to practice their skills, some SLI teams come to do test flights.
Amusing note about USLI: an acquaintance in HARA once told me to volunteer for helping inspect the SLI rockets. "In two days, you will see a plethora of examples of what NOT to do when preparing an L3. or even L2, certification."

--There's also Birmingham Rocket Boys that have a year long field/waiver to 3000 ft (when there isn't a record drought across the Southeast of course.....)

 

[blackbrandt]

Matt, what is your intended major? Let's start with that important question.

Current plan is Aerospace engineering (although I may go mechanical, I'm still deciding).

 

[blackbrandt]

I just talked with them the other day. They seem to be awesome. The person I was talking to gave me a hi-five when I told her that I was L1 in Tripoli. Turns out they also provide transportation to Manchester every month for the launches. Which makes me extrememly happy.

The smaller field isn't an issue, I'm from NC, so I know about small field flying.

I'm really leaning towards UAH

There is also a student rocket group at UAH. I'm not in college anymore, but that is an excellent way to do rocketry and school AT THE SAME TIME .

HARA is a great group of people. They partner with Music City Missile Club in Nashville and share HPR hosting in Manchester. They launch April (?) through October. Then Phoenix Missile Works' season is over the winter further south.
The manchester field is a great place to do HPR, but, since this is an Eastern field, trees abound all around and good flying sense/motor selection is necessary if you want to see your rockets again. That's where I did L1. That much clear ground in one place is pretty rare over here. And its a Turf farm, so landing is sweet.
View attachment 305734
Some students come to certify, some to practice their skills, some SLI teams come to do test flights.
Amusing note about USLI: an acquaintance in HARA once told me to volunteer for helping inspect the SLI rockets. "In two days, you will see a plethora of examples of what NOT to do when preparing an L3. or even L2, certification."

--There's also Birmingham Rocket Boys that have a year long field/waiver to 3000 ft (when there isn't a record drought across the Southeast of course.....)

 

[boatgeek]

Since you're moving out of state anyway, I'll throw in a plug for University of Washington. Seattle is home to both old and new space companies and pretty good rocketry. LP/MP November-June on 60 acres of soccer field, and regular spring/summer/fall HPR launches out east of the mountains in open country. There are several active rocketry clubs and really nice people. My daughter's dorm at UW (engineering living community) has a maker space in the basement with a dozen 3D printers, some hand and power tools, and even a few sewing machines if you fancy a scratch-built parachute. Plus the summers will spoil you for anywhere else in the country (75-85 degrees, low humidity, and 16 hours of daylight a day in July and August). Oh, and we have real mountains here.

 

[blackbrandt]

Clarification: The reason UAH is a choice of school is because I get free tuition due to my SAT (1390). I also like the internship opportunities.

 

[lkal32]

I did my masters at UAH so hopefully I can offer a bit of advice, although it may be biased . Huntsville is a fantastic place to live and most importantly, if you are looking for a career related to rockets, it offers so many potential space/missile/defense positions thanks to NASA, MDA, Lockheed, Boeing, and many many others, not to mention the multitude of smaller contractors. UAH has a fantastic engineering program with close ties with local resources so internships and future connections are easier to establish than many other competing schools. It may not be the true pinnacle of engineering schools, but being in the center of ROCKET CITY makes it more valuable than other schools, especially in today's age where a degree doesn't mean you have a job.

 

[boatgeek]

Clarification: The reason UAH is a choice of school is because I get free tuition due to my SAT (1390). I also like the internship opportunities.

Well, in that case, carry on. Free tuition is an awfully good reason.

 

[Nytrunner]

I did my masters at UAH so hopefully I can offer a bit of advice, although it may be biased . Huntsville is a fantastic place to live and most importantly, if you are looking for a career related to rockets, it offers so many potential space/missile/defense positions thanks to NASA, MDA, Lockheed, Boeing, and many many others, not to mention the multitude of smaller contractors. UAH has a fantastic engineering program with close ties with local resources so internships and future connections are easier to establish than many other competing schools. It may not be the true pinnacle of engineering schools, but being in the center of ROCKET CITY makes it more valuable than other schools, especially in today's age where a degree doesn't mean you have a job.

Don't forget Northrup Grumman, Raytheon, advanced CFD specialists, (*cough* nasa *cough*) you name it

 

[blackbrandt]

Well, I officially received the email tonight. I am proud to say that I will be attending the University of Alabama in Huntsville starting in Fall of 2017.

 

[Nytrunner]

Congratulations!

You realize this means it may be easier to make fun of your unit conversions....

 

[markjos]

Congratulations! I'm sure that's well-earned, and you should be proud, indeed. I may be biased toward various other engineering programs, but really, IMO, your experience and success are much more about what you put into it than exactly which school you choose. I'm sure you'll do well.

As others have said, there are some pretty special opportunities and potential relationships in Huntsville. I hope to meet you at a NASA SL event sometime in the future.

Mark

 

[SS/EA 6BBL 71 Cuda]

Congratulations MATT!:wave:

The Judge told me Military or Jail...I choose the former- Ive done quite well since. I'm sure you'll do even better. Good Luck!

 

[boatgeek]

Well, I officially received the email tonight. I am proud to say that I will be attending the University of Alabama in Huntsville starting in Fall of 2017.

Congratulations! Good luck! With any luck, I'll be able to meet you at an SLI event.

 

[Sabrina]

Well, I officially received the email tonight. I am proud to say that I will be attending the University of Alabama in Huntsville starting in Fall of 2017.

Congrats Matt!!! Awesome!

I really like to see it - when people win. I can tell, YOU are a WINNER!

 

[kcobbva]

Congratulations. That's really a nice area! Took a few trips down there to support a few missions and really enjoyed that area. If you like Bowfishing, that's a pretty good area too! Again, congratulations!

 

[Kruegon]

Just south of Huntsville is the BRB club. Our current field is large but has a very limited waiver. Only 3000' due to proximity to the airport.

We are currently looking for a new field. Our launches are also on alternate weekends to the HARA launch. Let me know if our club can assist you.

 

[Nytrunner]

Just south of Huntsville is the BRB club.

I knew you'd pop up sooner or later! I plugged y'all in my earlier post .

 

[bobkrech]

Well, I officially received the email tonight. I am proud to say that I will be attending the University of Alabama in Huntsville starting in Fall of 2017.

Congratulations Matt.

Getting an engineering degree from a well respected university like UAH on a full scholarship is a great opportunity that you will not regret. (The going full retail price is over $250K at many top engineering schools so you are definitely making the right choice!)

If you're not sure about aerospace, consider a double major of aerospace/mechanical. It's most likely only an extra course or two.

Regardless when you get an engineering degree, you will be able to solve first and second order differential equations, mechanics, physics, materials and thermodynamics problems, and be fluent with CAD and numerical problem solvers. With an engineer's training, what you don't know you will be able to figure out by doing some research, reading a few books and articles and consulting with your fellow engineers and coworkers.

 

[markkoelsch]

Well, I officially received the email tonight. I am proud to say that I will be attending the University of Alabama in Huntsville starting in Fall of 2017.

Congrats. That is awesome.

 

[proflaser]

Well done. Join now https://hararocketry.org/hara/membership/join/ and we'll sign you up for range duty. A nice thing about the HARA launches are that not only can you fly about any size bird you bring, but there are plenty of exciting flights to watch every month from other club members.

 

[Forever_Metal]

Congrats!!

If you get a chance send me a pm, I'll give you some info on the local clubs. I'm also a part time student at UAH. Last year while I was full time there I participated with a college group that among other things flies hpr, some for fun but most for school projects.

Hope to hear from you soon!

** Now that I'm at home I'll answer your ?'s...

1. What clubs are nearby? I saw HARA was located somewhat near...
HARA is the closest cub. We share a field in Manchester TN with Music City Missile Club. There is another club to the south, Phoenix Missile Works, that flies near Talladega,AL. These fields give us year round flight capability (if there isn't a burn ban) for the high power rockets.

HARA https://hararocketry.org/hara/
MSMC https://www.mc2rocketry.com/
PMW https://www.phoenixmissileworks.com/pmw-home.html

2. Do college students attend these launches?
Yes, we typically have a van that takes students to launches at both sites.

3. How hard is it to maintain working on rockets while in college?
UAH is a tough tough school (hope you like calculus...). By the time you're done you'll definitely be at the top of the heap and (as stated before) contected. That being said, there are many projects that go on throughout the year, a couple of which start right as you come through the door, while others are continuations from the previous year. It is a prime opportunity to start/restart/continue/excel in rocketry (I got restarted after a 20 navy career myself...) or other projects, such as high altitude ballooning, cansat, etc. A basic breakdown of what they do in the club is on this website...

UAH SHC https://space.uah.edu/

Again, Congrats!!

FM

 

[DrBud]

Welcome to Huntsville/UAH/HARA/MC2/PMW... Matt!
Stop by our monthly HARA meetings whenever you get a chance. We meet first Thursday of the month at 7:30 and we're really close to UAH campus at the Educator Resource Center at the Space and Rocket Museum.
I'm the local TRA Prefect, so contact me if/when you want to do your next certification.

 

[Onebadhawk]

Heyyy,,
This is wonderful news Matt...
A big congratulations for you..
Matt, you future is so bright you've got to were shades at night,, lol..
You make certain to be very careful with your everyday decisions..
You be very mindful of that super incredible fantastic future in every daily choice you make...
Work hard Matt,, it will pay you back every day for the rest of your life...

I'm really jealous Matt...

Good for you man...

Teddy