Marco's Model Rockets

August, 1997 - 34" Estes 'Mercury' model rocket with a D12-5 engine. Apple PPC video capture.

Launch (left) - Nosedive w/o chute pulls up a grass plug (right) held by rocketeer John Norris, strikingly similar to what happened to Neal's rocket below.

Landing
Done	The launch crew poses

Below: The Viagra	Recovery crew ready - July 2006

Safety Rules Blind Rocketeers Can't Watch Their Rockets - Use Eye Protection Keep, Store and Transport Fuels and Oxidants Separately Label Fuels and Oxidants and Keep them in Approved Containers You are responsible for the Safety of All Spectators and Assistants Keep an Inventory of Your Hazardous Materials in a Safe Place Read and Understand the Material Safety Data Sheets for all Your Chemicals

At right - Neal's carbon composite/phenolic resin rocket undergoes a prelaunch check prior to liftoff with a J290 Nitrous Oxide solid fuel hybrid motor. The recovery system was controlled with an electronic altimeter and used a dual-deploy drouge/main system. The estimated apogee of this flight was > 9000 ft. This impressive rocket wound up taking a desert soil core sample when the parachute failed to open. As you can see below, we were well equipped for rocket viewing.

• Launch site at - 40 54.10 N, 113 55.53 W
• Launch site elevation - 4,240 ft. above msl
• Maximum G's achieved - 36 Gs
• Maximum speed achieved - Mach 1.4
• Largest motor used - N-2000
• Maximum altitude - 13,400 ft.