Ian's pictures from the launch of Dragoon 1, June 2003

These are my pictures from the launch of ParagonSpace's Dragoon 1 rocket on June 14, 2003. Orbital Expressways (a commercial spin-off of CSXT) performed launch licensing, ground site operations and tracking for the launch.

Bryan Klofas KF6ZEO and I were there as tracking and recovery volunteers for Project Stratofox from Silicon Valley, California.

Thanks to Paragon Astronautics for permission to post pictures of their event and equipment. Paragon reports that the altitude achieved by the rocket was "over 80k feet".

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(1536x1002 626K) (500x326 21K) The launch control trailer just after we arrived at the launch site on Saturday afternoon.

(1536x1002 657K) (500x326 24K) Eric Knight KB1EHE calls for a weather briefing via satellite phone. (Note: there is no cell phone coverage less than 90 minutes drive away.)

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(1536x1002 727K) (500x326 27K) ParagonSpace's Dragoon 1 rocket is brought out to the launch tower.

(1536x1002 646K) (500x326 30K) Loading ParagonSpace's Dragoon 1 rocket into the launch tower.

(1536x1002 726K) (500x326 38K) Loading ParagonSpace's Dragoon 1 rocket into the launch tower.

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(1536x1002 770K) (500x326 29K) ParagonSpace's Dragoon 1 rocket is now loaded into the launch tower.

(1536x1002 724K) (500x326 37K) The rocket and launch tower are both upright now. (I didn't get a picture of raising the tower because it required the help of all hands present.)

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(1536x1002 695K) (500x326 26K) The rocket and launch tower are both upright now. Adjustments are being made to the angle of the launch tower. Yes, it's supposed to be launched at this angle (or close to it since adjustments may not have been complete.) That limits the area of the playa that's affected.

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(1536x1002 629K) (500x326 23K) Adjustments to the launch tower angle are complete. Now the crews stop to look at what they've accomplished.

(1536x1002 642K) (500x326 22K) Electronics are checked prior to clearing non-essential personnel from the launch pad area.

(1536x1002 377K) (500x326 12K) The first weather balloon is launched.

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(1536x1002 580K) (500x326 21K) The first weather balloon climbs into the hazy blue sky over the Black Rock Desert.

(1536x1002 633K) (500x326 24K) A second weather balloon is filled with helium.

(1536x1002 576K) (500x326 14K) The second weather balloon is launched.

(1536x1002 604K) (500x326 25K) Tension builds as the rocket launch countdown continues.

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(1536x1002 634K) (500x326 14K) Ignition of ParagonSpace's Dragoon 1 rocket.

(1536x1002 691K) (500x326 17K) ParagonSpace's Dragoon 1 rocket leaps into the sky, a beautiful and very rapid ascent.

(1536x1002 642K) (500x326 22K) ParagonSpace's Dragoon 1 rocket leaps into the sky, now only visible from its contrail as the rocket goes supersonic.

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(1536x1002 623K) (500x326 24K) Some take pictures of the rocket. Others take pictures of all the fuss everyone is making over the beautiful flight.

(1536x1002 475K) (500x326 20K) The group is waiting for the rocket to land before releasing recovery crews to go find it.

(1536x1002 1018K) (500x326 37K) This is where Bryan and I found the Dragoon 1 rocket, about 15 minutes after touchdown, 6.7 miles NNE of the launch pad. This view is looking approximately northwest, with the Black Rock Range in the background.

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(1536x1002 867K) (500x326 29K) This is where Bryan and I found the Dragoon 1 rocket. This view is looking approximately NNE, with tip of the Black Rock Range on the left background and the east arm of the Black Rock Desert playa on the right background.

(1536x1002 818K) (500x326 22K) This is where Bryan and I found the Dragoon 1 rocket. This view is looking approximately east. Bryan is answering a call on the radio in my truck to help the other crews find the location while I document the landing site.

[picture]
(1536x1002 788K) (500x326 23K) This is where Bryan and I found the Dragoon 1 rocket. This view is looking approximately southeast. Bryan is "talking in" some of the incoming recovery crews on the commercial band handheld radio.

(1536x1002 858K) (500x326 34K) This is where Bryan and I found the Dragoon 1 rocket. This view is looking approximately southwest. The Granite Range is visible in the background. A campsite is being constructed in the near background - those are people from Reno who arrived to camp shortly after the rocket touchdown. They spotted the rocket at a distance before we got to it, but we got to it a couple minutes before them. We chatted for a while and answered their questions. Then they drove away to the spot where they're now constructing their camp in this photo.
Yes, it was intended to land hard, though I don't have info about why it was designed that way - possibly to keep it from drifting too far downrange into the wilderness area. Kevin Sagis of ParagonSpace later saw this and said it looked as expected.

[picture]
(1536x1002 1042K) (500x326 43K) This is where Bryan and I found the Dragoon 1 rocket. This view is looking approximately west.

(1536x1002 779K) (500x326 28K) In this view from a little farther away, you can see that I "drew a circle" with my tire tracks around the rocket when I drove up. This was both a security perimeter marking and allowed me to face my headlights back toward the incoming crews to help them find us in the haze.

[picture]
(1536x1002 1232K) (500x326 52K) The paint on the rocket has experienced burns from aerodynamic heating during its Mach 3 flight.

(1536x1002 840K) (500x326 30K) Kevin Sagis of ParagonSpace has arrived and safes the rocket. Others may now approach it. Most of the crews arrived near the same time as Kevin did, but are still standing back during this picture.

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(1536x1002 776K) (500x326 32K) And everyone did approach it once it was safe to do so.

(1536x1002 874K) (500x326 33K) The landing site erupts into celebration. Lots of pictures were taken. The children being shown the rocket are with ParagonSpace crews.

(1536x1002 726K) (500x326 31K) The landing site erupts into celebration.

[picture]
(1536x1002 944K) (500x326 42K) This is where the nose cone landed, about 500 yards farther downrange from the rocket on its own parachute. Bryan had spotted it with binoculars from my truck and was credited with the find. But since we were guarding the rocket body, we directed another crew led by Eric Knight KB1EHE who arrived here first. Now several groups have gotten a chance to see it too.

[picture]
(1536x1002 860K) (500x326 36K) This is where the nose cone landed, about 500 yards farther downrange from the rocket on its own parachute. One of the kids of the ParagonSpace crew is shown the nose cone.

(1536x1002 1055K) (500x326 48K) The nose cone landing site has now been documented. This is just before they picked it up and took it away.

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(1536x1002 853K) (500x326 31K) The rocket has been put in Jerry Larsen's rental truck.

Back to Ian's Black Rock Pages

(1536x1002 626K) (500x326 21K)	The launch control trailer just after we arrived at the launch site on Saturday afternoon.
(1536x1002 657K) (500x326 24K)	Eric Knight KB1EHE calls for a weather briefing via satellite phone. (Note: there is no cell phone coverage less than 90 minutes drive away.)
(1536x1002 727K) (500x326 27K)	ParagonSpace's Dragoon 1 rocket is brought out to the launch tower.
(1536x1002 646K) (500x326 30K)	Loading ParagonSpace's Dragoon 1 rocket into the launch tower.
(1536x1002 726K) (500x326 38K)	Loading ParagonSpace's Dragoon 1 rocket into the launch tower.
(1536x1002 770K) (500x326 29K)	ParagonSpace's Dragoon 1 rocket is now loaded into the launch tower.
(1536x1002 724K) (500x326 37K)	The rocket and launch tower are both upright now. (I didn't get a picture of raising the tower because it required the help of all hands present.)
(1536x1002 695K) (500x326 26K)	The rocket and launch tower are both upright now. Adjustments are being made to the angle of the launch tower. Yes, it's supposed to be launched at this angle (or close to it since adjustments may not have been complete.) That limits the area of the playa that's affected.
(1536x1002 629K) (500x326 23K)	Adjustments to the launch tower angle are complete. Now the crews stop to look at what they've accomplished.
(1536x1002 642K) (500x326 22K)	Electronics are checked prior to clearing non-essential personnel from the launch pad area.
(1536x1002 377K) (500x326 12K)	The first weather balloon is launched.
(1536x1002 580K) (500x326 21K)	The first weather balloon climbs into the hazy blue sky over the Black Rock Desert.
(1536x1002 633K) (500x326 24K)	A second weather balloon is filled with helium.
(1536x1002 576K) (500x326 14K)	The second weather balloon is launched.
(1536x1002 604K) (500x326 25K)	Tension builds as the rocket launch countdown continues.
(1536x1002 634K) (500x326 14K)	Ignition of ParagonSpace's Dragoon 1 rocket.
(1536x1002 691K) (500x326 17K)	ParagonSpace's Dragoon 1 rocket leaps into the sky, a beautiful and very rapid ascent.
(1536x1002 642K) (500x326 22K)	ParagonSpace's Dragoon 1 rocket leaps into the sky, now only visible from its contrail as the rocket goes supersonic.
(1536x1002 623K) (500x326 24K)	Some take pictures of the rocket. Others take pictures of all the fuss everyone is making over the beautiful flight.
(1536x1002 475K) (500x326 20K)	The group is waiting for the rocket to land before releasing recovery crews to go find it.
(1536x1002 1018K) (500x326 37K)	This is where Bryan and I found the Dragoon 1 rocket, about 15 minutes after touchdown, 6.7 miles NNE of the launch pad. This view is looking approximately northwest, with the Black Rock Range in the background.
(1536x1002 867K) (500x326 29K)	This is where Bryan and I found the Dragoon 1 rocket. This view is looking approximately NNE, with tip of the Black Rock Range on the left background and the east arm of the Black Rock Desert playa on the right background.
(1536x1002 818K) (500x326 22K)	This is where Bryan and I found the Dragoon 1 rocket. This view is looking approximately east. Bryan is answering a call on the radio in my truck to help the other crews find the location while I document the landing site.
(1536x1002 788K) (500x326 23K)	This is where Bryan and I found the Dragoon 1 rocket. This view is looking approximately southeast. Bryan is "talking in" some of the incoming recovery crews on the commercial band handheld radio.
(1536x1002 858K) (500x326 34K)	This is where Bryan and I found the Dragoon 1 rocket. This view is looking approximately southwest. The Granite Range is visible in the background. A campsite is being constructed in the near background - those are people from Reno who arrived to camp shortly after the rocket touchdown. They spotted the rocket at a distance before we got to it, but we got to it a couple minutes before them. We chatted for a while and answered their questions. Then they drove away to the spot where they're now constructing their camp in this photo. Yes, it was intended to land hard, though I don't have info about why it was designed that way - possibly to keep it from drifting too far downrange into the wilderness area. Kevin Sagis of ParagonSpace later saw this and said it looked as expected.
(1536x1002 1042K) (500x326 43K)	This is where Bryan and I found the Dragoon 1 rocket. This view is looking approximately west.
(1536x1002 779K) (500x326 28K)	In this view from a little farther away, you can see that I "drew a circle" with my tire tracks around the rocket when I drove up. This was both a security perimeter marking and allowed me to face my headlights back toward the incoming crews to help them find us in the haze.
(1536x1002 1232K) (500x326 52K)	The paint on the rocket has experienced burns from aerodynamic heating during its Mach 3 flight.
(1536x1002 840K) (500x326 30K)	Kevin Sagis of ParagonSpace has arrived and safes the rocket. Others may now approach it. Most of the crews arrived near the same time as Kevin did, but are still standing back during this picture.
(1536x1002 776K) (500x326 32K)	And everyone did approach it once it was safe to do so.
(1536x1002 874K) (500x326 33K)	The landing site erupts into celebration. Lots of pictures were taken. The children being shown the rocket are with ParagonSpace crews.
(1536x1002 726K) (500x326 31K)	The landing site erupts into celebration.
(1536x1002 944K) (500x326 42K)	This is where the nose cone landed, about 500 yards farther downrange from the rocket on its own parachute. Bryan had spotted it with binoculars from my truck and was credited with the find. But since we were guarding the rocket body, we directed another crew led by Eric Knight KB1EHE who arrived here first. Now several groups have gotten a chance to see it too.
(1536x1002 860K) (500x326 36K)	This is where the nose cone landed, about 500 yards farther downrange from the rocket on its own parachute. One of the kids of the ParagonSpace crew is shown the nose cone.
(1536x1002 1055K) (500x326 48K)	The nose cone landing site has now been documented. This is just before they picked it up and took it away.
(1536x1002 853K) (500x326 31K)	The rocket has been put in Jerry Larsen's rental truck.