launch model rockets

So, I got to launch my first model rocket with my kids a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, the breeze caught it and we lost it in the trees in the yard next to the school. Oh well! Guess that just means we get to do it again!!!

The weather was pretty good for launching yesterday. R9 was delayed coming home from the orthodontist’s office. While I was waiting for him the scoutmaster called.

“Isn’t R9 coming?”, he asked.

I told him that we’d catch up with the rest of the scouts as soon as he got home. He told me that the scouts would be launching on the playground behind a local elementary school. I told him that we’d meet up with them as soon as R9 got home.

When R9 walked in the door he put on his scout uniform, we grabbed our rockets, jumped into the car, and headed off.

When we got to the appointed location there were some girls practicing soccer in the spot where the launches were planned to take place. We drove to another nearby rocket launching spot. Still no sign of the scout troop. By then it was getting too dark to launch. :-(

We went home. I told R9 that we could do it on Saturday, just the tow of us. He said that that sounded like a good idea.

We had a pretty big storm blow through here today. Quite a bit of rain (by our standards anyway) and a lot of wind.

Tomorrow is likely to be more of the same.

There is a good chance that tomorrow’s scheduled launches will be scrubbed. :-(

R9’s Boy Scout troop is working on their Space Exploration merit badge. This Wednesday evening they’re launching rockets. Guess who’s going along too!!!!!

When I was a boy model rocketry was one of my hobbies. Of course when I got into high school it wasn’t a cool thing to do anymore.

Later, after I got older and had children I took up the hobby again. This time it was even more fun than it was as a boy, because now I had enough money that I could actually afford to launch the rockets that I built.

Sadly it’s been a few years since my son (or any of my daughters) and I have gone out for a good launch. I want to do it again. It’s a lot of fun.

I still have numerous rockets from over 30 years ago, which have survived years of storage. Some of them still have never flown.

last year!

So, now we’re ready for our second annual rocket launch for my son and the other homeschoolers in our group. Last year it was just another family plus my sons and all the boys we could fit in our van. That made 13 males and 3 females at last year’s launch.

It sounds like we can expect alot more people this year. I’m a bit nervous to see how many people show up tomorrow afternoon in the desert. I’m doing half of the food for our picnic (what would a rocket launch be without a picnic in the desert), and I don’t think I’m going to have enough food if more than 20 people show up. I have more kids who want to ride with me than can fit in my car, so I’ll have to say no to a couple I suppose.

The good part is that my oldest son is really ready this year, with more rockets, engines, and batteries. We have 2 other boys besides my son who have rockets to launch. I’ll bring a camera, binoculars, plus a ton of food and water. Got to finish my preparations.