January to February 2009

Transcription

1 January to February 2009 Calendar...2 Club News Road Damage at Great Meadow...3 Great Meadows Field Rules...3 NOVAAR Range Safety Rules...3 NOVAAR Safety Check-in Guidelines...4 When are NOVAAR meetings cancelled...4 Free L1 cert courtesy of Giant Leap Rocketry...4 Rocketry Vendors on our Field...4 Club News A Club That Really Takes Off...7 Inside this Issue Club Activities January Club Launch February Club Launch Competition Rocketry Blue-Gray Regional 2009 in April...5 TARC 2009 in May...5 National Sports Launch 2009 in May...5 East Coast Regional Meet (ECRM-36) in June..6 National Association of Rocketry Annual Meet (NARAM-51) in August...6 Section 205 Flying Since 1970

2 January February 2009 This is the official newsletter of the Northern Virginia Association of Rocketry (NOVAAR), Section 205 of the National Association of Rocketry (NAR). This newsletter is a benefit of being a member You are a member, aren t you? Section Officers President:...Joe Woodford president@novaar.org Secretary:...Trip Barber secretary@novaar.org Treasurer:...Will Marchant treasurer@novaar.org Senior Advisor:...John Hochheimer senioradvisor@novaar.org High Power Coordinator:...Mitch Guess hp@novaar.org Membership and Dues To maintain the clubs launch equipment and pay for our website we collect dues. Dues are collected annually and are; $5 for members age 13 and younger, $8 for members age 14 to 18 and $10 for everyone else. A membership application can be found at many local hobby shops and on our website. Meetings NOVAAR holds meetings on the first and third Tuesday of the month, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm, at the King s Park Community Center in Springfield, VA. The most current topics to be discussed and directions to our meeting room can be found on our website. Build Sessions Once a month, on the third Sunday of the month from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm, at the King s Park Community Center, the club gets together to build rockets and share construction techniques. The schedule and directions to our meeting room are on our website. Launches NOVAAR conducts monthly launches at Great Meadow which is located in The Plains, VA approximately 50 minutes south of Washington DC on Route 66. Launches start at noon to 5 pm (noon to 4 pm during the winter). The most current schedule and directions to Great Meadow can be found on our website. There is no charge to fly at club launches (motor sizes A to F). However, there is a $5 charge to launch high-powered rockets (motor sizes G to I -- the field is not large enough for bigger motors). AND, you don t have to be a member to fly with us. Though, after you meet us and, realize that we don t bite as long as we take our medication we know you will want to join. If weather threatens the launch day, our website will report the status of the launch by 8:00 pm the day before. Website The club s website ( is where the most current information about future club activities can be found. The site is maintained by... Webmaster:...Dan Winings webmaster@novaar.org Newsletter The club s newsletter is published 6 times a year or, as close to that schedule that is humanly possible for the editor to achieve. The newsletter reports on the club s activities and features articles written by club members about their endeavors within the Model Rocketry Hobby. The articles include, but are not limited to, topics on sport rocketry, competitive rocketry and high-powered rocketry. Send submissions to... Editor:...Frank Prekel nfp@novaar.org Calendar April 2009 SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 5 NOVAAR Launch 12 1 ST Shuttle Flight (1981) 6 US Enters WWI (1917) 7 NOVAAR Meeting 1 April Fools Day Income Tax Day Earth Day 26 Blue Gray Regional Vietnam War ends (1975) NOVAAR Launch Arbor Day 25 Blue Gray Regional May 2009 SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT NOVAAR Meeting 10 Mother s Day Women s Army Corp formed (1941) V-E Day (1945) National Maritime Day Federal Holiday 31 TARC Memorial Day June 2009 SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 NOVAAR Meeting NOVAAR Launch Flag Day 21 ECRM-26 Regional US Army established (1775) ECRM-26 Regional Father s Day First Day of Summer Spanish American War Begins (1898) Armed Forces Day D-Day (1944) Page 2 of 22 January February 2009

3 Editor s Ramblings The cover picture is a piece of NASA art depicting the launch of the Ares-V from Kennedy Space Center. This issue includes photographs of the January and February launches and an article published in the January 2009 issue of the Warrenton Lifestyle magazine. And as usual, here is my plea for pictures and articles about any rocketry topic a completed design, research, or anything you just learned about and you want everyone else to now. NOVAAR Hatpins Available from Frank Prekel -- fjprekel@aol.com. The NAR pin is available from NARTS ( The Flag Ribbon is out-of-print and no longer available. Club News Road Damage at Great Meadow by: Will Marchant There are several spots on the dirt roads that we use to access the launch site that have wet sections. People have been driving around these small puddles causing extensive damage and widening of the roads! Just over the course of today's launch there was a significant amount of damage done to the roads. Please slow down and drive very slowly through the wet sections of road. Swinging around the puddles is damaging the roads and will lead to complaints from the field crews at Great Meadow. We are lucky to be guests at Great Meadow so please don't damage the facilities! Great Meadows Field Rules NOVAAR is privileged to have access to the fields of Great Meadow. NOVAAR works hard to maintain its relationship with the Great Meadows Foundation and does not wish to lose its access to what is not only our flying field but is also home of the Virginia Gold Cup Steeple Chase. The Virginia Gold Cup is one of the oldest organized steeplechase races in the United States. Founded originally in 1922, The Virginia Gold Cup (VGC) came to Great Meadow in The Virginia Gold Cup, like no other race, tests the stamina of horse and jockey. A four-mile course over four-foot post and rail timber fences across the rolling hillside of the Virginia Piedmont challenges the equine athletes while exciting the crowds. The races are held twice annually, The Virginia Gold Cup in May, and the International Gold Cup in October. The following rules apply to all persons flying rockets with NOVAAR on the Great Meadow field. 1. Park in designated areas. 2. Pick up any trash that you see. 3. No pets except on leash. 4. Do not climb on fences, trees, or structures. 5. Cross fences at gates (hinge side) if possible. 6. Ask for assistance to recover rockets from trees. 7. Do not attempt to recover rockets from overhead wires. 8. Do not go onto private property without permission. 9. The flying of rockets is permitted only when NOVAAR is operating the range. NOVAAR Range Safety Rules The National Association of Rocketry (NAR) strives to conduct the hobby of model rocketry in the safest way possible. To this end, rules pertaining to the flying and operation of launch ranges have been established. The following rules are in place whenever the Northern Virginia Association of Rocketry (NOVAAR), a section of the NAR, is flying. 1. Follow the directions of the Range Safety officer 2. All rockets must go through our safety checkin. 3. Bring your rocket to check-in ready to fly 4. Flight card must be filled out for each flight. 5. Rocket flights must occur on our range only. 6. Spectators stay behind the flag line. 7. Air horn is a flight danger warning -- look up. January February 2009 Page 3 of 22

4 NOVAAR Safety Check-in Guidelines The following guidelines will be used by the Safety Check-in Officer to verify that your rocket is ready to fly from the NOVAAR range. 1. Is the rocket structurally sound -- fins and launch lug solidly glued (not taped) onto the body and an appropriate strength/size for the model, body tube not crimped? 2. Does the rocket appear to be stable -- center of gravity one or more body diameters ahead of the center of pressure (which is normally just forward of the fin leading edge)? 3. Is the rocket motor on the list of NAR Certified Rocket Motors? 4. Does the rocket motor have sufficient thrust to give the rocket a safe liftoff velocity and a delay time that will not result in the rocket having excessive upward or downward velocity at ejection? 5. Is the motor properly restrained in the model -- with an engine hook, or with enough tape that the ejection charge will not pop it out and it cannot be easily removed by hand? 6. Does the nose cone fit properly -- not loose enough to fall off of its own weight, not so tight that significant force is required to remove it? 7. Does the rocket have a recovery system that will return it at a safe landing speed, and is the recovery system packed properly and recently, structurally sound, and protected with sufficient flame-proof wadding that it will properly deploy? 8. If the rocket is high-power (H or larger motor), is the modeler certified for the power level of its motor? (Note: HPR check-in must be done by an HPR-certified person.) 9. If the rocket is high-power, did another HPR certified modeler do a "peer review" of the recovery system's packing? If not, disassemble and inspect it. When are NOVAAR meetings cancelled? by: Will Marchant NOVAAR uses the Fairfax County Public School District closing decisions to decide whether to hold meetings or not. Take a look at the page to get the latest status. "Free" L1 cert courtesy of Giant Leap Rocketry by: Will Marchant When we placed our last group order, donated a few HPR reload kits to be used by club members to certify for HPR level 1. We've still got one of the Aerotech H128W-M reload kits available for a club member to use for a certification flight. So let me know if you want dibs on using that reload kit. Rocketry Vendors on our Field NOVAAR is pleased to have two vendors that frequent our field on launch days. The are not on the field for every launch and their respective schedules can be seen on their websites. Performance Hobbies Ken Allen has a full line of rocket kits, motors, hardware, and accessories to satisfy all of your rocketry needs. web site: phone: (202) Dragon's Hoard Is a purveyor of Fine Games, Cards, Miniatures, Dice and Rockets. Orders for highpower motors can be delivered to the field on launch day but have to be ordered before the launch. web site: phone: (540) Join the NAR and experience the joy of flight. Page 4 of 22 January February 2009

5 Competition Rocketry Blue-Gray Regional 2009 in April The Dates: Saturday and Sunday, April 25 and 26, 2009 The Events: 1/8A Helicopter Duration B Rocket Glide Set Altitude 200 meters D Dual-Eggloft Altitude The Sponsor: Vikings Rocket Society (NAR Section 203) The Contact: Tom Lyon (zog43lyon@aol.com) (804) The Location: Pole Green Park in Hanover County, located off Pole Green Road (Route 627) Mechanicsville, VA. Behind Pole Green Elementary School, approximately 3.5 miles east of Richmond Interstate 295 The Notes: Duration events to be flown Saturday 9am to 4 pm. Altitude events flown Sunday 9am to 2pm. No entry fee. Ribbons awarded. The Website: TARC-2009 in May The Dates: Registration opens: Wednesday, September 3, 2008 Registration closes: Monday, December 1, 2008 Qualified flight deadline: Monday, April 6, 2009 Final fly-off: Saturday, May 16, 2009 The Location: Great Meadow, in The Plains, Virginia the home field of NOVAAR The Notes: Registration for the 7th Annual Team America Rocketry Challenge is now closed. The flight deadline is looming. And, the final fly-off is in a few months. Participating teams are challenged to design, build, and fly a model rocket (3.3 pounds or less, using NAR-certified model rocket motors) that carries a payload of a single Grade A Large egg (oriented sideways across the rocket's diameter) for a precise flight duration of 45 seconds, and to an altitude of exactly 750 feet (measured by an onboard altimeter), and that then returns the eggs to earth un-cracked. Local qualifying scores must be submitted to AIA by Monday, April 7, 2008 to be eligible for the National Finals. Teams whose score is one of the 100 best will be invited to compete for a share of the $60,000 prize package at the 2009 National Finals at Great Meadow, in The Plains, Virginia, on Saturday May 17, AIA and the National Association of Rocketry (NAR) are proud to sponsor the annual Team America Rocketry Challenge, the largest model rocket showcase on the planet. The Website: National Sports Launch 2009 in May The Dates: Saturday, Sunday and Monday (a Memorial Federal Holiday) May 23-25, 2009 The Sponsor: Wisconsin Organization of Spacemodeling Hobbyists (WOOSH, NAR Section 508) The Location: Richard Bong State Recreation Area Burlington Rd. Kansasville WI The Richard Bong State Recreation Area is 8 miles southeast of Burlington, Wisconsin, on State Highway 142. The entrance is a mile west of State Highway The Events: Raffle - Tickets $1 or 6 for $5 Saturn V mass launch L1 Certified Scramble - Fastest team of four to build and successfully fly a rocket Parts donated by LOC Precision. All six openings have been filled. Secret payload duration contest Vern Hoag's Saturn V rocket on display, weather permitting A visit to the Racine Astronomical Society, Saturday night from 8:00 pm until 11:00 pm and see the planet Saturn, star clusters, galaxies, and nebulas. The Contact: Scott Goebel zapjolt@yahoo.com (262) The Website: January February 2009 Page 5 of 22

6 Qualified Competition Rockets Complete Line of NAR Competition Kits and Parts Sport Model Rocket Kits and Micro Maxx Kits QCR kits have placed at NARAM's For catalog, send Self-Addresses Envelope to Kenneth Brown View Drive, Springfield, VA Phone: Remember: You can't fly the packaging or the illustrations East Coast Regional Meet (ECRM-36) in June The Dates: Saturday and Sunday, June 20 and 21, 2009 The Events: Random Altitude A Altitude B Rocket Glide A Streamer Duration 1/2A Parachute Duration, multi-round Future Fiction Sport Scale The Sponsor: National Association of Rocketry Headquarters Astro- Modeling Section (NARHAMS -- NAR 139) The Contact: Jim Filler (zog139@yahoo.com) (301) The Location: New Market, MD Take I-70 to Exit 62 (MD Route 75 North toward Libertytown, about 8 miles east of Frederick). Turn right at the second light on to Old National Pike (MD Route 144). Park entrance is about 2 miles on the left (there is a large sign on the left). Follow the main road to the back of the park. Launch area is about 300 yards from the parking lot. If the gate is open, you may drive on to the field to unload, but you must still park in the parking lot. The Notes: It is suggested to fly "A" altitude with 18mm engines. A picnic is planned on Sunday after the event is over..the Website: National Association of Rocketry Annual Meet (NARAM 51) in August The Dates: Saturday to Friday, August 8 to 14, 2009 The Events: 1/8A Helicopter Duration A Streamer Duration 1/2A Parachute Duration (multi-round) Random Altitude B Rocket Glide Duration B Altitude D Dual Egg Lofting Duration Research and Development Peanut Sport Scale Science Fiction and Future Scale The Prices: A/B Contestant... $30 C/T Contestant... $45 Full-week of Sport flying... $30 Weekend Sport Flying... $15 Single day Sport Flying... $10 Picnic... $14 Banquet, adult... $28 Banquet, child (<12 yoa)... $14 extra patch... $7 t-shirt S/M/L, XL, 2XL, 3XL... $16, $17, $18, $19 The Sponsor: Pittsburg Space Command (PSC -- NAR 473) The Contact: Steve Foster naram51@nar.org The Location: Johnstown, PA.The Website: Want NAR Stuff?? Page 6 of 22 January February 2009

7 General Rocketry A Club That Really Takes Off By Jennifer Heyns In some cases it really IS rocket science. Luckily, though, you don t have to be a rocket scientist to be able to enjoy the Northern Virginia Association of Rocketry (NOVAAR). The club, which was formed in Fairfax in 1970, has grown to include more than 150 members from all over northern Virginia and the United States. About a dozen of our members are from Fauquier County, said NOVAAR Treasurer Will Marchant, who lives just outside of Warrenton, the rest of our members are from all over including one man from California and another who lives in Hawaii. As Marchant stated this, there was no hint of disbelief in his voice that people would travel so far just to launch model rockets one afternoon a month. We have one of the best flying fields in the country, he explained, we get excellent support from the Great Meadows Foundation, the fields are large with nice soft grass and we get decent weather for year-round flying. To be certain, the adult members of NOVAAR are serious about their hobby. In fact many of them hold advanced degrees and have sustained successful careers in rocketry. Several of the club s senior members are alumni from MIT and Marchant, himself, is an Aerospace Contractor who builds and operated spacecraft for the University of California at Berkeley. Additionally, one of the club s members, Arthur H. Trip Barber III, is the current president of the National Association of Rocketry (NAR), which just celebrated their 50th anniversary last year. That is not to say, however, that the club members are too serious to have a good time in their meetings and on the launch site or that they are all adult hobbyists. According to Marchant, there are several school-aged members of the club and a great number of students who, although not members, come to test their model rockets with the club on Launch Day. I joined because I like rockets, said 8-year old NOVAAR member, January February 2009 Page 7 of 22

8 Annika Vargas of Nokesville, I like to build and create rockets with my Dad. Vargas father is also a member of NOVAAR. She noted that one of her favorite aspects of the rocketry club is launch day. I enjoy flying clusters and twostage rockets, she explained. My animal rocket is a two stage rocket. I call it my animal rocket because I painted animals on it. Although she s fond of her animal rocket, Vargas said that her favorite rocket is one she s named Baby Bertha. NOVAAR is committed to community outreach and makes it a point to involve the area s youth in their activities. Learning about rockets and testing them, said Marchant, is a great way for Boy Scouts to earn a space exploration merit badge and a fabulous way to develop awesome science fair projects. Additionally, the club helps hundreds of students every year prepare and participate in the Team America Rocketry Challenge. The Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC) is a nationwide competition held every spring by the National Association of Rocketry and the Aerospace Industries Association [with their partners and co-sponsors] in May, said Marchant, The event is held at Great Meadow in The Plains and is a huge draw. I joined because I like rockets, said 8- year old NOVAAR member, Annika Vargas of Nokesville, I like to build and create rockets with my Dad. TARC is one of NOVAAR s biggest attractions and a major reason Page 8 of 22 January February 2009 many students join the club officially or participate on launch days. With the vast amount of knowledge and experience that can be found among the club s adult members students get a tremendous benefit by talking with and learning from NOVAAR members. The students participating in TARC will be required to form teams of three to 10 seventh through twelfth graders, design, build and fly a onestage model rocket to an altitude of 750 feet, keep it aloft for 45 seconds, and return 2 raw eggs unbroken, stated the TARC web site. Each year up to 750 teams of students are accepted to the challenge and of those 100 teams are qualified to vie for the chance to win a share of the $60,000 purse and participate in a national fly-off. It s a very exciting day, admitted Marchant, we often see well-known astronauts here who have come to watch the competition. Buzz Aldrin came one year. All of the launches, a monthly event at Great Meadows, are free and open to the public. Anyone is welcome to bring their model rocket for a test launch or to just enjoy the glory of the event as a spectator. NOVAAR s launch day typically sees 100 to 200 people making the pilgrimage to Great Meadows to testfly their model rocket. Some people like to fly their old rockets over and over again, said Marchant, and others like to build new rockets each time there are different motivations for different people. He noted that rocketry hobbyists are generally split in two. Half of them are interested in rocketry as a sport for pure enjoyment and delight in designing the most unique flyers. These, he said, can be easily spotted by their presentation of originallooking flying saucers and wildly designed sci-fi spacecraft. The other half are in it for the exploration possibilities and competitions. These innovators essay to build rockets that test the bounds of altitude (how high a small engine rocket can fly), duration (how long they can defy gravity) and precision (staying on course and landing at a predestined designation). For me, said Marchant, I m interested in radio flyer systems and camera systems for rockets, so I like to fly high powered rockets. He further explained that his draw to the club was a natural one. He s been flying model rockets since he was a child and still loves it. Additionally the club is laden with friendly and knowledgeable people that he enjoys spending time with as well as enthusiastic newbies that he take pleasure in teaching and assisting. Naturally, what put it over the top is the fact that the launches are so close to his home. Rockets of all sizes will be flown at Great Meadows Fourth of July celebration. In order to be allowed to launch a rocket at one of NOVAAR s launch days, all they ask is that you fill out a flight card with information about your craft and present your rocket to a NOVAAR member who can review it for safety and assign you to a launch pad. Generally speaking, there are usually one or two mobile hobby shops on site on launch days and with so much excitement about it s a great way to see if you or your child might be interested in joining the model rocketry craze. It s a great hobby, a fun way to learn more about science and can provide invaluable information and experience for 4H, scouting and school science fair projects.

9 The club is looking forward to the 40th anniversary of the first lunar landing and has claimed July 2009 as Race to the Moon Month. They invite flyers to bring their scale models of space rockets on launch day. July is also a big month for the club already as they participate in Great Meadows annual 4th of July celebration. They will be flying a couple dozen of the larger, more spectacular rockets in the prefireworks show, said Marchant. Although most of the excitement comes from flying the rockets, the club also holds monthly meetings at the Kings Plaza Shopping Center in Burke on the first and third Tuesday of each month. Meetings generally include some club business and a presentation, which can be on any of a wide variety of topics like radio tracking systems, rocket gliders, camera systems, safety, etc. There is a small annual fee for membership which varies by age category. Another fun way to ease your way into rocketry is to join NOVAAR in their free flying saucer build classes at Hobbies Etc. in the Borders Shopping Center in Warrenton. The next class will be held on Sunday, January 11 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The classes are scheduled sporadically throughout the year, but Marchant said that they are hoping to make it a regular monthly event soon. The club s first 2009 meeting will take place on Tuesday, January 6 at 7 p.m. in the Kings Plaza Shopping Center s meeting room. The first launch of the new year will be held on Saturday, January 10 at 10 a.m. at Great Meadows with a rain date of January 11 from noon to 2 p.m. For more information visit or club president Joe Woodford at president@novaar.org or treasurer Will Marchant at treasurer@novaar.org. This story originally appeared in the January 2009 issue of the Warrenton Lifestyle magazine. The original article and the entire January issue of the Warrenton Lifestyle can be viewed at January February 2009 Page 9 of 22

10 January Club Launch The first launch of the New Year was, simply put, COLD and oh-yah and a little windy too. The TARC Teams were out in force. Page 10 of 22 January February 2009

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17 February Launch The second launch day of the year and it was less cold than the first but, just as windy. Just like last month, we were joined on the field by a number of TARC teams. It was also a club fly a cluster rocket day. January February 2009 Page 17 of 22

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