Rocketry in pop culture?

[tdn]

Are there ever any references to rocketry (of the small kind, not the NASA kind) in movies and TV? I've barely seen any. Never do characters walk through a park where someone is launching, never do we a country scene where a few models are hanging from trees. And yet we constantly see references to various RC models.

The only rocketry references I have seen are in The Simpsons and Malcolm in the Middle. (And of course, October Sky.)

 

[Mike]

My guess is rocketry doesn't have much of an influence over the "pop-culture" groups....well not in Britain anyway.

I did once see a Estes Starter Set being launched during prime-time TV.

 

[shinbone]

There are continuing rocket references in one area of pop culture: The funny pages. I have seen at least three in the "FoxTrot" strip. Here's a cute one:


https://home1.gte.net/mkquinn/foxtrot.htm

 

[sandman]

There was a good commercial that I just had a glance at...anybody know the details or what it was about?

It showed I think, a science student having a failure with an Alpha III then a success with a Big bertha/Big Betty (not sure).

Let's not forget the SBC commercial.

I do know that model rockets are a staple in the movie special effects industry.

A HPR was used in Star Trek "Generations" Sarin (the bad guy) launched one at a sun...must have been pretty fast 'cause it only took seconds to reach it.

I remember Pearse Brosnon (sp) as James Bond launching some small missles from his BMW that looked an awful lot like Estes Bullpups painted red and without the forward fins. They even used the tailcones!

Hey...that was in the UK!

The Bell X-1 rocket plane in the movie "The Right Stuff" was powered by 3 Estes C motors cut and glued together for a 6 sec burn...NOT reccomended! I remember reading about that in a model airplane mag back when the movie was released.

That would be a cool motor!

 

[wwattles]

Movies make extensive use of model rockets in simulating missiles and RPG's. Often times they will use a tether line for the rocket to slide along that is held taut. This keeps the "missile" flying exactly to the destination that the movie makers want.

WW

 

[GL-P]

I seem to remember there being a guy from a rock band who flies hpr rockets. He was part of the Jurassic Park rocket (or whatever it was called) Maybe do a google search about that rocket.

 

[rabidsheeep]

october sky anyone?

maybe if we got some hip hop icon to shoot off some rockets the next LDRS would have 300 hummers with chromed spinning rims pulling up

edit:

OK so *maybe* i didn't read the WHOLE first post... things in parenthesis never seem too important anyways.

 

[BlueNinja]

The Sarin's Probe rocket was made by PML. All I know of is that and the SBC commercial.

Sandman, maybe we could start a letter campaign for such a motor

Also, PML did rockets for some naval documentary. I remember there were some Harpoons.


Check PML's website, they have more info.

 

[dragonshiprider]

Originally posted by GL-P
I seem to remember there being a guy from a rock band who flies hpr rockets. He was part of the Jurassic Park rocket (or whatever it was called) Maybe do a google search about that rocket.

You're probably thinking of Ricky Rocketts.he's the drummer from Poison.That really is his real given name.The fact that he's a rocketeer is total coinkydink.

 

[sandman]

I just remembered another good one!

There is a local Michigan PBS show that featured a Michigan business...PML of course!! The show is a regular on Saturday afternoon, it's called "Michigan Magazine."

They were talking to the guys at PML about thier products...OK, my wife was watching the show when I just came in the door near the end.

I do remember they were talking about the ...I believe...full sized Harpoon missles they built for the British Navy.

They were the same size and launch configuration as the real Harpoons and were used for training. They even showed one being loaded onto a launcher, launched and recovered by...a "launch" ...you know...a little boat .

It was a LOT cheaper than launching a real bazillion dollar missle for training.

Besides, the real Harpoons don't have parachutes.

 

[eugenefl]

Originally posted by sandman
There was a good commercial that I just had a glance at...anybody know the details or what it was about?

It showed I think, a science student having a failure with an Alpha III then a success with a Big bertha/Big Betty (not sure).

Hey sandman - yeah, I had spotted that commercial and posted a thread about it <a href="https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10879&highlight=commercial">here</a>. Good stuff. It was made by a group call "The Foundation for a Better Life" and can be found online at https://www.forbetterlife.org/ - very good stuff.

 

[Mike Howie]

I can think of two shows:
Old one - Freaks and Geeks, kids fly lots of rockets. One
brings his Merc Atlas to impress a girl. It doesn't work.

New one- Judging Amy. Older brother flies an Mid power rocket.
I forget which one.

 

[r1dermon]

definately october sky,
there's a rapper who i saw on MTV's cribs who had a bunch of RC stuff, and i think i recall seeing a rocket up on his shelf...

 

[Ozymandias]

Originally posted by dragonshiprider
You're probably thinking of Ricky Rocketts.he's the drummer from Poison.That really is his real given name.The fact that he's a rocketeer is total coinkydink.

Ricky is (was?) so cool. Remember his rocket Jurassic Kick that was built from the bass drums? That was so awesome! I haven't heard much about him lately. Is he still flying?

 

[Ozymandias]

Originally posted by r1dermon
definately october sky,
there's a rapper who i saw on MTV's cribs who had a bunch of RC stuff, and i think i recall seeing a rocket up on his shelf...

That was DMX. I used to work at a hobby store in L.A. and he used to come in all the time. He loves R/C anything.

 

[brianc]

Originally posted by tdn
Are there ever any references to rocketry (of the small kind, not the NASA kind)
in movies and TV? I've barely seen any.

Not sure if you're still tracking this tdn, but there were rockets on Hope and Faith
last week. I don't watch the show, usually, but caught the tail end while flippin' around.
I saw a rocket fly thru the room and impale itself in the wall- the first thought I had was
"great! Just what this hobby needs! /sarcasm"

There was some discussion on RMR where most felt as I did.

 

[dragonshiprider]

Originally posted by Ozymandias
Ricky is (was?) so cool. Remember his rocket Jurassic Kick that was built from the bass drums? That was so awesome! I haven't heard much about him lately. Is he still flying?

I'm glad someone brought this thread up again.First I have to correct my mistake.It is Rockett without the "s".Second;I will have to try to dig up something on Ricky to see what he's up to.

 

[Rocketjunkie]

"The Gate".

I saw it on HBO in a motel on the way to LDRS 8. I won't tell how the monster gets destroyed (I've seen it since also.) There are several model rocket scenes in it.

 

[Rocketjunkie]

Another is "Star Trek Generations". The missile to blow up the star (allowing the Nexus to hit the planet) was Public Missiles parts and powered by an Aerotech K1050.