Hey all,
We did our 1st ever rocket launches today...(We being me, my 7 yr old daughter and my 5 yr old daughter), and with some hitches, it was a success.
We had built a balsa model over the winter and it was ready to go, so we set it up first....I put a "B" motor in it, took it out to the field behind our house and got everything set....
Did I mention that we (meaning 99% me,and 1% of the oldest daughter handing me parts as I asked for them, and beer as needed too...) built this balsa model? It's all set up on the launch platform, and we start the countdown...5....4.....3....2...1...blas...nope...nuttin....wait for a bit....check the connections,.,,,,,try it again....5...4...3...2...1....blas.....nope. still nuttin....wait for a bit...pull the plug and sure enough...the igniter has gone off, but not the motor....so a new igniter goes in.....tighter this time....and the plug and so forth...and we go back to the countdown....5...4...3...2....1.......blas.....nope....nuttin.....so I tell my oldest to hold the launch button down while holding the launch key down...and as I am about to tell her to hold it for a few more seconds.....whiiiiiiiiiiiiishhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!....off it goes.......somewhere......not really sure where...cuz I really wasn't prepared for it to go....so here we are looking up for about 10 seconds or so, hoping to see the chute deploy......and nothing....after much fruitless searching in the nearby wheat field...we give up and go home and get the model that came with the launch kit, an Estes Alpha III. I spend about 15 minutes putting this together....wait another 1/2 hr or so until the glue dries...and off we go again.
This time we have a better idea of which direction the wind is going and back up onto the ball diamond about 100 yds north of our original position....we get another "B" engine set up and start our countdown....5...4...3...2...1...blast off! WWWHHHHHHHHHHIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! up it goes.....we look up expectantly and poof! the chute deploys....wooohoooo! The rocket and chute land nicely outside of the outfield fence....
2 more successful launches and we are getting a little more confident....I pull out a C6-4 and get it set up. I send the girls back to the track about 50 yds past the outfield fence and start the countdown.....5....4....3...2...1....BLAST OFF!!!!! WHIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! Holy crap! I can't even see this thing any more.......where the hell is it....Oh...wait.....there's the poof of wadding and the chute opening....holy crap...is that thing going to be a hazard for air traffic? Wow is it a long way up there....several minutes later it touches down about 150yds INTO the wheat field......after 10 anxious minutes of searching I locate it....We are going to need a bigger launch site, or less wind. (look up at the flags on top of the back stop...nothing...not even a ripple...) oh crap...We are gonna need a MUCH bigger launch site.....how high do these motors go? "I"? Are you kidding me?? What do you use for ballast to keep them out of orbit? St Bernards? Jeepers...Needless to say, tomorrow we are heading back to the hobby shop for more motors and such....and maybe a new kit to build.....We are also going to find a MUCH larger spot to launch from tomorrow....a spot without wheat fields or such...
Anyway...I thought I would share a first timer's launch and excitement....
Cheers!
Randy
Melbourne, Ontario.