Pictures from AeroPAC's XPRS 2002 launch
September 27-29, 2002
Black Rock Desert, Nevada

All pictures

These are all my pictures from AeroPAC's XPRS 1.

(1536x1024 2256K) (500x333 40K)	Here's my campsite at XPRS. Owen parked his vehicle behind my tent. My rocket is sitting on the chair "posing" for the picture before taking it for my Level 1 HPR certification flight.
(1536x1024 1915K) (500x333 25K)	Owen shows off his night flight rocket which he intended to fly during that evening's night launch. Besides the regulation strobe light (in the nose cone), the colored bands around the rocket are electroluminescent wire ("EL wire") rigged to light up when the rocket's ejection charge fires.
(1536x1024 1951K) (500x333 24K)	Sometimes the rockets launch just too fast to snap a picture of them. :-)
(1536x1024 1963K) (500x333 19K)	A view of the AeroPAC flight line looking west from my campsite.
(1536x1024 1966K) (500x333 20K)	A view of the AeroPAC flight line looking east from my campsite. This only shows the front row facing the launch pads. In the central area, there were 3-4 rows of camp sites and parking space behind the flight line.
(1536x1024 1763K) (500x333 20K)	Looking behind my campsite, there's a cluster of RV's in a "circle the wagons" pattern. My only guess why they'd do this is as a wind break. But I'm not sure why they clustered away from the flight line.
(1536x1024 1928K) (500x333 18K)	Here's a nice straight launch. This is how it's supposed to be done.
(1536x1024 1599K) (500x333 18K)	Here's a nice straight launch. This is how it's supposed to be done. (Same flight as previous photo.)
(1024x1536 1960K) (500x750 52K)	I'm ready to take my rocket, the "One-Two Punch", for the HPR Level 1 certification flight. I'm nervous. (photo by Owen DeLong)
(1536x1024 2116K) (500x333 34K)	The "One-Two Punch" is on Launch Pad 6 ready to go for my Level 1 certification flight. This flight used an H123 motor.
(1536x1024 1938K) (500x333 12K)	My Level 1 certification flight during boost (powered ascent) phase.
(1536x1024 2057K) (500x333 23K)	My Level 1 certification flight - the rocket disappears from camera view during the coasting "unpowered ascent" phase. At this point, you'd need binoculars to follow it. The parachute deployed correctly and the announcer said to me, "Welcome to High Power," indicating my successful completion of the requirements for Level 1. Thanks!
(1536x1024 2204K) (500x333 51K)	My Level 1 certification flight drifting down under parachute.
(1536x1024 2103K) (500x333 29K)	After my Level 1 certification flight, my rocket landed a few hundred yards west of the west end of the flight line. It wasn't a long walk to recover it.
(1536x1024 2169K) (500x333 45K)	After my Level 1 certification flight, the rocket is in excellent condition.
(1536x1024 2460K) (500x333 50K)	After my Level 1 certification flight, the rocket is in excellent condition. The AeroPAC flight line is visible to the east in the background.
(1536x1024 1970K) (500x333 24K)	One of the large rockets is launched from the far pads. I vaguely recall this was someone's Level 3 certification flight.
(1536x1024 1981K) (500x333 26K)	A very nice recovery of the large rocket from the previous photo. The smaller "drogue" chute deployed first, slowing the descent until the main chute deployed under computer command at lower altitude. If this was indeed an L3 cert flight, then congratulations to the builder because this beautiful recovery means he/she succeeded and got the elite L3 certification.
(1536x1024 2184K) (500x333 12K)	This rocket went into a spiral during its ascent. This is undoubtedly due to an in-flight failure of some kind. Though the failure wasn't enough to prevent the rocket from continuing upward in a spiral.
(1536x1024 2238K) (500x333 34K)	At the launch control officer's direction, I placed the "One-Two Punch" at Pad 18 for my Level 2 certification flight. This flight used a J350 motor. Of course, after having completed the L1 cert flight and now attempting the L2 cert flight the same day with the same rocket, it should be becoming obvious why I named it the "One-Two Punch".
(1536x1024 2300K) (500x333 31K)	A wiring problem disabled Pads 15-19. So the "One-Two Punch" has been relocated to Pad 14 to try again for my Level 2 certification flight. Tension is mounting now as only 5 minutes remain in Saturday's daytime launch window before the FAA airspace waiver expires (allowing airplanes into the airspace again and ending launches.) There are more rockets on the pads than will be able to go in the remaining time. At the time of this photo, it wasn't clear that I'd get to fly my L2 certification flight that day.
(1536x1024 2074K) (500x333 13K)	But with minutes to spare, launch control pushed the button and got my rocket off the pad for my L2 certification flight. The J350 motor quickly accelerates the rocket to supersonic speed and a sonic "pop" can be heard at the flight line.
(1536x1024 2275K) (500x333 34K)	During my Level 2 certification flight, my rocket disappears from camera view but is still being tracked with binoculars from launch control. Note that the jagged smoke trail is due to winds aloft - it was a rapid and straight flight but wind shear at different altitudes very quickly twists and contorts the smoke trail from any rocket. After the parachute deployed, launch control announced, "Welcome to Level 2" to me. Thanks again!
(1536x1024 3075K) (500x333 71K)	This is the landing site for my Level 2 certification flight. The rocket is again in excellent condition. I started walking and running out to the landing site north of the flight line (in the intended "downrange" area.) But this was so far away that Owen had time to walk to his vehicle, close up everything, and drive out to catch up with me a little more more than half way to the rocket.
(1536x1024 2362K) (500x333 35K)	I deliberately included my own shadow in this shot trying to demonstrate how late in the day I finally completed everything I had intended to. The shadow on the left is Owen's. On the right is his vehicle.
(1024x1536 2826K) (500x750 125K)	A west-facing view of the landing site for my Level 2 certification flight.
(1024x1536 2592K) (500x750 104K)	A west-facing view of my rocket and me at the landing site for my Level 2 certification flight. (photo by Owen DeLong)
(1536x1024 1998K) (500x333 25K)	A south-facing view of my rocket and me at the landing site for my Level 2 certification flight. The AeroPAC flight line is visible in the distant background. (photo by Owen DeLong)
(1536x1024 1980K) (500x333 18K)	Sunday morning's windstorm briefly had some people getting out their kites, before the wind got worse.
(1536x1024 1868K) (500x333 20K)	Flags are fully extended during Sunday morning's wind storm.
(1536x1024 1974K) (500x333 25K)	More and more dust is getting picked up as the speed of the wind increases. By this point, even the brave ones have put away their kites. Most people are packing up, giving up on any launches this day and opting to get home a little earlier.
(1536x1024 2033K) (500x333 28K)	My tent is holding fine while I wait for Owen to arrive. But one group of neighbors have already departed from between my campsite and the trailer now visible behind it.
(1536x1024 2166K) (500x333 33K)	The wind speed continues to increase. My tent is only holding because I used much heavier-duty stakes than came provided with it and I have a lot of gear inside it to weigh it down.
(1536x1024 2069K) (500x333 34K)	On the drive back home, Owen and I decided to take the Smoke Creek Desert route via Susanville and Chico. At this point, we're between the Smoke Creek Desert and the California border. We've stopped where a sign points out the 1840's emigrant trail covered wagon ruts still visible on the hill in the background. (In the photo, they're just "above" Owen's vehicle.)
(1536x1024 2172K) (500x333 32K)	This is not what you want to happen when you're in the middle of nowhere on a road nobody else uses. Owen's left front tire blew out. There was no sign of puncture on the face of the tire so we think it blew out the side. Even California's dirt roads pale in comparison to Nevada's. One of Owen's nearly-new tires may have been defective. But the rough condition of the road on the California side of the border couldn't have helped. A word of warning for anyone trying this road - be prepared. We didn't need to call for help. But if we had needed to, there is no cell phone coverage here. But both of us are Ham Radio operators with Extra Class licenses. And Owen's vehicle is equipped with voice and digital Ham Radio in the HF, VHF, UHF and microwave bands. Even in the unlikely event that no one else could hear us, we could have relayed a message through an amateur satellite during any upcoming pass if needed, including the Ham Radio station on the International Space Station.
(1536x1024 2284K) (500x333 37K)	With a bit of teamwork, we had the spare on and the vehicle ready to go again 35 minutes after the blowout occurred. (Note: in case you're comparing with times for another vehicle, this one weighs 3 US tons so it shouldn't be done too hastily.) Owen stands by the completed repairs for the photo.
(1024x1536 2373K) (500x750 57K)	Back in San Jose, the "One Two Punch" is now in my office ready to be put on display.

Back to the AeroPAC XPRS 2002 Pictures

Copyright (c) 2002 Ian Kluft

Some pictures are from others where noted - all are used with permission. Original owners retain their own copyrights.