Vacation Bible School Rocket Launch

[JAL3]

As many of you know, I am a pastor. Our church has an annual Vacation Bible School program and I agreed to help out. The lady running the program asked me to add a "fun" activity. Of course, nothing is more fun than rockets so...

The rocket program was originally going to be a good deal bigger but some of the trustees were worried about safety.:eyeroll: For a while, it looked like they were going to let us build but not fly them. They eventually relented on the flying for the oldest class.

For rockets, we used 13mm Art Applewhite Spartans. The Spartan is Art's low cost "group/school" rocket. It was priced right, easy to build and I could "pick them up at the factory". Over the course of a week, we ended the class sessions with a short build time. I gave all of the rockets a coat of gloss white and let the kids use markers to decorate them to suit.

 

[JAL3]

Because of the small field, the rockets were launched on 1/4A3-3s. Except that I did not have enough! My rocket and a randomly chosen student got 1/2As. Even with the 1/4, the rockets performed very well.



Every single launch was successful and recovered safely. The 1/2A just barely so because of the field size.

The kids had a blast.

 

[Tarasdad]

Good on ya, sir! The smiles on those faces are the reward.

 

[Peartree]

I thought about that this year, but you clearly have a bit more space that we do. I was concerned about what the township police (and our neighbors) would think of launching from our parking lot.

 

[JPVegh]

Good job John!

I sure would like to see a full review of the Spartan line. Maybe Art will bring some to Beeville and I can see for myself.

 

[JAL3]

Good job John!

I sure would like to see a full review of the Spartan line. Maybe Art will bring some to Beeville and I can see for myself.

The Spartans are very "spartan". I think that's why he can offer them so cheaply. There were easy for the kids to assemble and flew very well. The nose cones were a bit loose but a piece of tape cured that. I think they are winners. Sadly, Art let me know this morning that they are now OOP.

 

[JAL3]

I thought about that this year, but you clearly have a bit more space that we do. I was concerned about what the township police (and our neighbors) would think of launching from our parking lot.

The pics are deceptive and show just about the entire available space. The church owns the property but the neighborhood is pretty tolerant of flying things. My club's former field was less than a mile away and was a burn ban exempt field owned by a fireworks company. People are used to seeing things in the air.

My biggest concern was wind direction. Prevailing winds are just right for this little church lot; any other direction would not have worked at all.

 

[Scotty Dog]

COOL!
Did you by chance get a picture of all the rockets together.
Ild like to see the markings/art work on them.

 

[JAL3]

COOL!
Did you by chance get a picture of all the rockets together.
Ild like to see the markings/art work on them.

Sadly, no.

That was one of my goals but the launch was the last activity of VBS. Before the launch, I was running in too many directions. After the launch, it was the kids who were running in too many directions.

 

[troj]

Looks like the kids had great fun!

For small areas, the rockets can be a bit more of a challenge, but consider MicroMaxx.

-Kevin

 

[JAL3]

Looks like the kids had great fun!

For small areas, the rockets can be a bit more of a challenge, but consider MicroMaxx.

-Kevin

Every time I try to get into MMX, I get burned by something. Usually, my big finger just don't cooperate.

I'll try again in time.

For this field, the 1/4A and the Spartan were the perfect fit.

My club has done outreach at the Witte Museum. There, our launch "field" was litterally the size of a small back yard. We used Applewhite Qubits there to good effect and got most of them back. That was also the site of my one "documented" miracle.

I launched the 3 stage cluster cone and recovered everything in the yard. I was willing to write off the top stage and build a new one but that was not needed... until I pushed my luck and tried it again. That time it landed across the San Antonio River.

 

[JPVegh]

The Spartans are very "spartan". I think that's why he can offer them so cheaply. There were easy for the kids to assemble and flew very well. The nose cones were a bit loose but a piece of tape cured that. I think they are winners. Sadly, Art let me know this morning that they are now OOP.

OOP? Already? He Just added these to the website a little while ago.

 

[JAL3]

OOP? Already? He Just added these to the website a little while ago.

I don't understand it and the email was very terse.

"Yes"

 

[Fuse Eh!]

John, that's awesome! Sure beats the traditional "make and take" crafts of VBS, and there are lots of great object lessons that can come out of such a project. Way 2 go!!

 

[gpoehlein]

Well played, Sir!

Looks like everyone had a good time, and if just one of the kids gets a little more interested in science and math, it will be more that worth the effort. Great job, John!

 

[cwbullet]

The Spartans are very "spartan". I think that's why he can offer them so cheaply. There were easy for the kids to assemble and flew very well. The nose cones were a bit loose but a piece of tape cured that. I think they are winners. Sadly, Art let me know this morning that they are now OOP.

That is too bad. I would have ordered some for the school lauch this year.

 

[JAL3]

That is too bad. I would have ordered some for the school lauch this year.

You might contact him and ask. He has on several occasions made up "oop" kits in the past.