US rocket high school rocket team does well at the Third Annual Transatlantic Rocketry Challenge at the 2010 Farnborough International Airshow: American Student-Built Rocket Wins International Contest - SPACE.com

The hobby of high power rocketry appears to be alive and well in the UK as illustrated by this story about the East Anglian Rocketry Society (EARS) and their recent two-day launch festival: The sky is not the limit - Tech Know/BBC - July.15.10 -

The Virtual Model Rocketry program from Prowler Studios allows you to do a detailed simulation of your model rocket flight: You can now virtually launch rockets with VMR - The Rocketry Blog - July.13.10.

An announcement from the New Mexico Museum of Space History in Alamogordo:

Rocketeers to converge on Alamogordo
National Sport Launch Annual Event Coming to Town

The National Association of Rocketry's National Sport Launch will be held in Alamogordo Thursday May 27th, through Tuesday June 1st. The theme for NSL 2010 is "Frontier of Aerospace Past, Present, and Future." When it comes to America's rocket and space activity, New Mexico might not grab the headlines the way Cape Canaveral and Houston do, but much of the early work and behind-the scenes research that paved the way for America to become a world leader in space activity happened right here. This continues today. The Fellowship of Las Cruces Area Rocketry Enthusiasts (FLARE) and Alamogordo Spaceport Model Rocketry Association have teamed up to create an NSL filled with 6 full days of sport launching and special tours that highlight the region’s historical significance.

“We’re expecting as many as 150 rocket enthusiasts from across the country,” said FLARE event coordinator Jim Basler. Launches will be conducted Saturday the 29th through Monday the 31st at the model rocket launch area off of Mesa Verde Road, near the VFW RC Field. Several different types of rockets will be launched at the event, with many participants competing in various categories.

The Centennial Challenge duration contest is a staple at NAR events. The event is open to rockets greater than 100 inches in total length and the total power of the motor(s) is to not exceed 100 Newton-Seconds. The longest flight durations will be posted on "under 18" and "18 and over" lists. In the Sierra Blanca or Bust event, the goal is to have the sum of the altitudes from two flights plus the base field elevation come closest to 12,003 ft. without going over. The same rocket and motor class must be used for both flights. Other launch events include the sanctioned NRA record trial, the paper helicopter group payload competition and a proposed mass launch of V-2 model rockets.

Activities for the attendees, other than rocket launching, include tours of several area points of interest. Advanced registration is a must for these activities, which include a full moon night at White Sands National Monument, a free Sunspot Solar Observatory tour, a Blast Off dinner and social at the Boot Hill RV Resort, guided tour of the New Mexico Museum of Space History and IMAX movie “HUBBLE”, and the Grand Finale Event is a guided bus tour of Historic V-2 Launch Complex 33, the White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) Missile Museum, and the Holloman Air Force Base High Speed Test Track.

“Its very important that people who are interested in the grand finale event register for it as soon as possible because the bus is filling up fast!” said Basler. Deadline to register for the bus tour and other events is May 15th. Complete registration and contact information is available on the NAR website at www.nsl2010.org

The New Mexico Museum of Space History is a division of the NM Department of Cultural Affairs. For more information about the museum, call 575-437-2840 or visit www.nmspacemuseum.org.

An article about a group of college students participating in the NASA University Student Launch Initiative "competition that challenges university-level students to design, build and fly a reusable rocket with scientific payload to one mile in altitude" : UCF students compete in NASA rocket competition - OrlandoSentinel.com - Apr.28.10.

The Rocket Project, sponsored by Intel and Sony, follows a class of students as they design a rocket with the help of their Sony laptops (see previous item). Here is a clip about the project: YouTube - Rocket Project: The Countdown Begins -



More clips and info:
/-- YouTube - Sony Electronics's Channel
/-- discover.sonystyle.com/rocket

Dick Stafford at The Original Rocket Dungeon points to the video below of recent water rocket flights by George Katz and his Air Command team. See also the Launch Day Report.

The Team America Rocketry Challenge looks really competitive this year: 669 Teams of Student Rocketeers In Team America Rocketry Challenge Finals - Aero-News Network - Jan.31.10

NASA opens its Student Launch Initiative programs for the coming school year: NASA Challenges 350 Rocketeers Nationwide to Aim a Mile High - NASA.

For additional info see:
/-- Student Launch Initiative - for middle and high school students
/-- University Student Launch Initiative

An announcement from the Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest:

Homer Hickam and Rocket Boys Reunite to Launch Again from Cape Coalwood

World famous author, Homer Hickam and three of the original Rocket Boys reunited at the annual October Sky Festival in Coalwood, West Virginia. The reunion marks the 11th time the event, which is sponsored by the Coalwood Restoration Society, was held.

The activities were kicked off with a talk to students who had been drawn to the event after reading Homer’s book Rocket Boys or seeing the movie October Sky. The book and movie, a memoir of Homer’s high school years in Coalwood highlights the Rocket Boys and several locations in and around the small West Virginia town. Students from near and far, many with copies of the book in hand, gathered beside a large model of the Space Shuttle to ask questions of the inspirational group.

The four men then joined in a parade that led to the steps of the old “Coalwood Clubhouse” where they spoke to a crowd that numbered in the hundreds - all fans of the book, movie and life in small town America during the 1950s. It is a life style that Homer refers to as, “the Coalwood Way.”

During the ceremony Hickam presented a trophy and Space Shuttle Challenger commemorative coin to Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest national winner, Isaac Sulsona. 16 year old Isaac competed in the national contest at Union County High School in Lake Butler, Florida. He was accompanied by both his father and grandfather.

Following the presentation - Rocket Boys; Roy Lee Cook, Billy Rose, Jimmie “O’Dell” Carroll and Homer joined Isaac for a celebratory “Cape Coalwood” launch. Although the other rocket boys annually attend the launch, it was the first time that Hickam had flown a rocket from “Cape Coalwood” since his high school days. The ”Cape” is the same spot the “Boys” launched their rockets from over fifty years ago following the historical flight of Sputnik – the world’s first man made satellite.

“Receiving a trophy and launching from historic ‘Cape Coalwood’ with Homer Hickam and the original Rocket Boys makes this a special occasion for our national winner.” says Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest director, Jack Colpas. We promise them “Memories to last a lifetime and bragging rights for generations to come.” This year the family connection was evidenced by the fact that the event was attended by both Isaac’s father and grandfather who traveled hundreds of miles to attend. For information regarding the contest and photos of the presentation and launch go to www.TheRocketman.net.

Also launching, many for the first time, were Homer’s wife, Linda Hickam, Bob Denver’s widow, Dreama Denver, Natalie Canerday who played Homer’s mother, Elsie in the movie, October Sky, Hickam’s Public Relations representative Burke Allen , attending the event from Washington, D.C. and many others. The sizable crowd spurred on each launch with a resounding countdown then followed with cheers and applause for the rocket flight and parachute landing.

As Natalie Canerday prepared to press the button, Homer admonished her, “Just don’t blow yourself up.” Mimicking her popular scene from October Sky. The line in the movie came just before Homer and the Boys blew up her white picket fence. Fortunately, Canerday’s flight went smoothly with no damage to surrounding fences.

Dreama Denver commented on how much her husband – who played Maynard G. Krebs and Gilligan on TV - would have loved the experience. Dreama, who gave herself a full 10 second countdown, said she went for the longer time because she wanted “the excitement to last as long as possible.”

The October Sky Festival is held annually in Coalwood, West Virginia. It is a classic small town America event with a parade down Main Street, chicken dinners in the church basement, speeches, book signings and movies in the hall. Booths, selling everything from home made fudge and jellies to commemorative t-shirts, lined the streets. Local musicians take turns on impromptu stages. Make your plans to attend next year. It is always held on the first Saturday in October – when the skies are full of promise.

An announcement from TheRocketman.net and the Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest:

Kids Win National Rocket Contest and Need Your Help!

Michelle Jorgensen - 10, Seth Gardner - 11 and Isaac Sulsona -15 have won the national Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest. The contest promotes the Helping Kids Reach for the Stars Program – an educational outreach of the Christa McAuliffe / Challenger Learning Center.

Local contests were held by schools, scout troops, youth centers, museums, rocket clubs and Challenger Learning Centers across the country in this year long event. During the local phase of the competition, contestants were required to build and launch a solid-fuel powered rocket. The winner of the local event had to have the closest average landing to a target after two launches. The local winner’s information was forwarded to contest headquarters to be compared to all entries received.

The national winners at all three levels will celebrate success by receiving their trophy from famed author Homer Hickam (Rocket Boys. October Sky) in Coalwood, West Virginia at the October Sky Festival. As part of the celebration they get to launch their rockets from “Cape Coalwood” with the original “Rocket Boys” giving the countdown. They will also receive a framed Space Shuttle Challenger commemorative coin, signed by Christa McAuliffe’s mother, Grace Corrigan.

Success never comes easy and seldom without cost. In this case, the cost is that of transportation and meals for the winners and their families to and from the October Sky Festival in Coalwood, West Virginia. Fund raising has been started for each of the kids. Help is needed immediately – the winner’s celebration takes place on October 3rd, 2009.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a young rocketeer. Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest directors Jack and Kathy Colpas boast that, “national winners receive memories to last a lifetime and bragging rights for generations to come.” Jack says, “This is supposed to be a joyous occasion. The last thing we want to do is present a family with a financial burden. Donations are needed so we can get these kids and their families to the winners’ celebration.”

Michelle won the contest run at the Challenger Learning Center of Colorado. Her mother, Kathy Jorgensen states, “Michelle really wants her sisters to attend and support her because she has never been without them. Rachel, Elizabeth and Michelle are triplets. I would love to be able to have my whole family at the celebration.” Kathy’s husband has MS and cannot work. Kathy has only been able to find part time employment. To help out with Michelle’s trip, please contact Karla Storey Co-Leader, Girl Scout Troop #337, Colorado Springs, Colorado (719) 684-6672.

Isaac Sulsona of Lake Butler, Florida competed at Union County High School. Isaac’s teacher, Renae Allen states, “We have a great school and supportive community so I’m sure we’ll work something out. But, I’ll bring him (to the celebration) in my own car if I have to!” To help Isaac and his mother with the travel expenses – and to keep the mileage down on Renae’s car, please contact the Union County High School - Science Office (386) 496-4811.

Seth Gardner of Longmont, Colorado competed at the Colorado Springs Rocket Society (COSROCS). He is a member of Boy Scout Troop #548. His fellow scouts are working hard to make sure that Seth, his Mother and Grandmother will be able to make the trip together. You can help by contacting Tim King, Assistant Scout Master at (303) 772-9135.

Corporate sponsors are needed to insure that next year’s Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest winners won’t face the same struggle. Sponsors receive national recognition and the satisfaction of Helping Kids Reach for the Stars. More information is available at www.TheRocketman.net.

The Team America Rocketry Challenge for the 2010 spring contest is now open for registration through Nov. 30th: 750 Student Teams Wanted for World's Largest Rocket Competition - Reuters/TARC - Sept.2.09.

John Bossard posts a nice little table clarifying the differences between units of mass and units of force: Units of Force Repost - Plasma Wind.

Joel Schiff points me to the nicely revamped New Zealand Rocketry Association (NZRA) website.

Check out, for example, the Altitude Records and the Education sections.

An announcement from the Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest at TheRocketman.net:

National Rocket Contest Winners Celebrate at the Astronaut Hall of Fame

Taylor Goodwin, Colorado Springs, Colorado; Karalee Corbeil, Haywood, North Carolina, and Faylyn Emma, Gainesville, Florida have just returned home after a trip to Cape Canaveral, Florida where they traveled with their families. The three were national winners of the year long Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest.

They received their trophies and launched their rockets while at the prestigious Astronaut Hall of Fame. They also got a personal tour of the facility from Launch Safety Director, Chrissy Sokol and were awarded a Space Shuttle Challenger commemorative coin signed by Christa McAuliffe’s mother, Grace Corrigan. The celebration continued at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex where the group got to visit the world renowned Rocket Garden, see the Space Mirror Astronaut Memorial and ride the Shuttle Launch Experience.

Entry to the national contest was gained by winning a local event. During the local phase of the competition, contestants were required to build and launch a solid-fuel powered rocket. Each of the contestants flew a model from Estes, recognized as the world leader in educational rocketry. To win, contestants had to have the closest average landing to a target after two launches in this challenging spot-landing event. The local winner’s information was then forwarded to contest headquarters to be compared to all other entries during this year long competition. The contest promotes the Helping Kids Reach for the Stars Program – an educational outreach of the Christa McAuliffe / Challenger Learning Center.

Tickets to the Astronaut Hall of Fame and Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex for winners and their families where provided by DNC Parks. Lodging was provided by the award winning Country Inns and Suites of Cape Canaveral. Without the generosity of these companies, this winners’ celebration would not be possible. The program - and therefore the kids – needs both local and national sponsors. To find out how you can help go to www.TheRocketman.net. If you want to get someone excited - you launch a rocket. And the only thing more exciting than a rocket launch is a rocket contest.

Taylor Goodwin competed with her class at the Penrose Elementary School, Colorado Springs, Colorado. The event there was hosted by her teacher, Michael March. He states, “The kids had so much fun that we will be back (in the competition) next year!” In Taylor’s words, Her national win is “the biggest thing that ever happened at my school.”

Rocketeer Karalee Corbeil competed at Junaluska Elementary School in Waynesville, North Carolina. Karalee is the first national winner from North Carolina. The event was run there by Myra Clemmons and Debbie Davis. Ms Clemmons is a teacher in the school’s Academically or Intellectually Gifted (AIG) Program.

The contest fosters the memory of the First Teacher in Space, Christa McAuliffe. Therefore it is perfect that the first adult to win in the Open Level Competition is a teacher. Faylyn Emma teaches at Howard W. Bishop Middle School in Gainesville, Florida. She competed with other educators attending the Florida League of Middle Schools Conference at G.WIZ Science Museum in Sarasota, Florida. Ms Emma plans to have her students compete in the 2010 Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest.

The second phase of the contest winds up on August 15th. Three national winners of that phase will receive their trophies from famed author Homer Hickam at the October Sky Festival in Coalwood, West Virginia. They will get to launch from “Cape Coalwood”, West Virginia with the original “Rocket Boys” giving the countdown. Grace Corrigan, Christa McAuliffe’s mother is usually on hand to award the Space Shuttle Challenger commemorative coins.

The contest presents a fantastic opportunity to kids. Contest directors Jack and Kathy Colpas boast that, “national winners receive memories to last a lifetime and bragging rights for generations to come.” For more details about the upcoming fourth annual Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest go to www.TheRocketman.net.

Rocketry enthusiasts will gather this summer at the International Rocket Week 2009 (IRW 2009) event, to be held Monday 24th to Monday 31st August, South Whittlieburn Farm (SWF), in Brisbane Glen, near Largs, in Scotland.
===
A couple of recent high power rocketry interviews on The Space Show:
/-- Steve Eves - May.17.09 - leader of the 1/10 Saturn V project
/-- Mark Canepa - June.28.09 - author of the book, Modern High-Power Rocketry.

Dick Stafford points to a video of an elaborate two stage water rocket created by Air Command Water Rockets:

OpenRocket is an open source model rocket simulator written Java by Sampo Niskanen as part of his Master's thesis work at Helsinki University of Technology.

An announcement from the Helping Kids Reach for the Stars program:

Astronaut Hall of Fame Hosts Celebration for Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest Winners

The first phase of the third annual Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest has been completed. The three national winners of the year long competition will be coming to the Astronaut Hall of Fame in Cape Canaveral, Florida on Saturday, August 1st to receive their trophies. Karalee Corbeil, Haywood County, North Carolina; Taylor Goodwin, Colorado Springs, Colorado and Faylyn Emma, Gainesville, Florida took top honors.

During the competition, contestants were required to build and launch a solid-fuel powered rocket. To win the local event they had to have the closest average landing to a target after two launches in this challenging spot-landing event. Each of the contestants flew a model from Estes, recognized as the world leader in educational rocketry. The local winner’s information was forwarded to contest headquarters to be compared to all other entries during the year long competition. The contest promotes the Helping Kids Reach for the Stars Program – an educational outreach of the Christa McAuliffe / Challenger Education Center and fosters an interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) studies.

On August 1st and 2nd the winners get to receive their trophies and launch their rockets in celebration at the prestigious Astronaut Hall of Fame. They will continue their celebration at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The winners and their families get a personal tour of the Hall of Fame, visit the Astronaut Memorial to receive a framed Space Shuttle Challenger commemorative coin signed by Christa McAuliffe’s mother, Grace Corrigan, see the historical Rocket Garden, ride the Shuttle Launch Experience and more.

Tickets to the Astronaut Hall of Fame and Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex for winners and their families where provided by DNC Parks. Lodging and breakfast are compliments of the award winning Country Inns and Suites of Cape Canaveral. Without the generosity of these companies, this winners’ celebration would not be possible.

The contest presents a fantastic opportunity to young rocketeers. Contest directors Jack and Kathy Colpas boast that, “national winners receive memories to last a lifetime and bragging rights for generations to come.” For more details about Helping Kids Reach for the Stars and the Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest go to www.TheRocketman.net.

Karalee Corbeil competed at her Junaluska Elementary School in Haywood County, North Carolina. Teacher Myra Clemmons ran the event, administrator Debbie Davis assisted with the judging. Karalee is the first national winner in the Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest from North Carolina.

Taylor Goodwin won the local event run at Penrose Elementary School in the home of model rocketry. Penrose, Colorado. The contest was run by teacher, Michael March who claims. “We had so much fun – we’ll be back (in the competition) next year!”

Faylynn Emma is the first teacher to win in the open level of competition. She competed with other educators at G.WIZ, the hands-on science museum in Sarasota, Florida during the Florida League of Middle Schools annual conference. Ms Emma teaches at Howard Bishop Middle School in Gainesville, Florida and plans to get her class to challenge other middle schools in the 2010 contest.

In phase two of the Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest, three more national winners will receive their trophies from famed author Homer Hickam (Rocket Boys) at the October Sky Festival in Coalwood, West Virginia. These winners will be announced on August 15th.

The student winners in the Team America Rocketry Challenge get a trip to the Paris Air Show paid for by Raytheon: Raytheon sponsors trip to Paris Air Show for student 'rocketeers' - Rocketry Planet - June.20.09.