Another very nice night launch with a white streak.
A 20-second exposure looking to the north, including a red streak from
a rocket launch launch. The Black Rock Range mountains are in the distance.
A rocket leaves a very bright white streak as it launches from Pad 22.
A red streak and apparently a nice flight.
This one launched from Pad 26 wasn't as bright as some of the others.
This one also isn't as bright as others.
But in this case since it's on the front row it's probably a model rocket.
A moonlit view of pads 1-10.
One of the rocketeers uses a "burn bag" to dispose of excess propellant
(possibly damaged grains which failed inspection)
which can't be used in a motor.
One of the rocketeers uses a "burn bag" to dispose of excess propellant
(possibly damaged grains which failed inspection)
which can't be used in a motor.
One of the rocketeers uses a "burn bag" to dispose of excess propellant
(possibly damaged grains which failed inspection)
which can't be used in a motor.
You can see from the trail that this rocket's propellant let go of
some sparks in flight.
Sunday begins with the usual morning Flyers Meeting.
Launch Director Peter Clay tells all the announcements he has, and
polls the flyers how long they plan to stay on the final day of XPRS,
to get an idea for when clean-up will begin.
One of Sunday's first launches - it looks night and straight off the rail.
A nice straight ascent.
This rocket's electronics prematurely deployed its parachute, while the
motor was still burning.
The motor is still burning. The parachute seems to be obscured in the smoke.
The motor is out but the rocket has separated from its parachute.
This is never a good situation.
The Range Safety Officer is giving an amazingly close look at
Mercury Joe (probably looking at the electronics.)
This is Jamie Clay's much-anticipated rocket which is bristling with
video cameras.
It's also Jamie's Level 3 certification flight.
"Mercury Joe" is a scale-model Mercury capsule carrying a GI Joe figure.
Heads up!
I got this picture of a rocket inches from touchdown under parachute,
right at the vendor tables.
It's probably good that Karl from Mojave Desert High Power hasn't
arrived yet.
Everyone's looking at the rocket that landed on the wrong side of the
flight line.
Launch Director Peter Clay with one of his retro-themed rockets.
The Launch Control Officer had to stop launches while this RV drove into
the downrange area... and stopped there. Someone is going out to them
to tell them everyone is waiting for them to get off the range.
Mercury Joe lifts off taking video and carrying everyone's hopes that
Jamie will be able to use it for another fun video.
It's also Jamie's Level 3 certification flight.
Mercury Joe tips away from vertical - this is not a good sign.
Mercury Joe continues prematurely arcing over. This is definitely not good.
Mercury Joe spirals out of control.
Everyone knows how much Jamie has worked on this rocket,
and knows it doesn't look good at this point.
Mercury Joe straightens out as it points down at the ground still under thrust.
Mercury Joe's motor burns out.
But there's no saving it now - it's going too fast and heading straight
for the ground.
Mercury Joe impacts on the lakebed. Ouch.
An ARLISS rocket lifts off from Pad C on the 1500-foot row,
carrying university student research payloads from around the world.
(ARLISS is a joint program of AeroPAC and Stanford University.)
A flawless ARLISS flight carries student research payloads.
Is that a big box of crayons next to Pad 21?
No, it's John Coker's big box of rockets that look a lot like crayons.
This is also a much-anticipated flight.
A closer look at John Coker's Crayola Rockets.
John Coker's Crayola rockets launch. Only 4 of the 8 launched
on the first batch before I had to leave.
4 of John Coker's Crayola rockets climb together.
4 of John Coker's Crayola rockets climb together.
A scaled-up Mosquito lifts off from Pad 26.
Cliff Sojourner tells me this is his Skunkworks 5.5" Skeeter on Cesaroni J210.
He says, "It's really beat up, because it has flown about 2 dozen times."
Cliff Sojourner's "Dragonfly Crayon" (H180 motor) lifts off from Pad 11.
Cliff says it's "a crayon with squished X-form
fins, like the Binder Dragonfly."
Another very nice night launch with a white streak.
A 20-second exposure looking to the north, including a red streak from
a rocket launch launch. The Black Rock Range mountains are in the distance.
A rocket leaves a very bright white streak as it launches from Pad 22.
A red streak and apparently a nice flight.
This one launched from Pad 26 wasn't as bright as some of the others.
This one also isn't as bright as others.
But in this case since it's on the front row it's probably a model rocket.
A moonlit view of pads 1-10.
One of the rocketeers uses a "burn bag" to dispose of excess propellant
(possibly damaged grains which failed inspection)
which can't be used in a motor.
One of the rocketeers uses a "burn bag" to dispose of excess propellant
(possibly damaged grains which failed inspection)
which can't be used in a motor.
One of the rocketeers uses a "burn bag" to dispose of excess propellant
(possibly damaged grains which failed inspection)
which can't be used in a motor.
You can see from the trail that this rocket's propellant let go of
some sparks in flight.
Sunday begins with the usual morning Flyers Meeting.
Launch Director Peter Clay tells all the announcements he has, and
polls the flyers how long they plan to stay on the final day of XPRS,
to get an idea for when clean-up will begin.
One of Sunday's first launches - it looks night and straight off the rail.
A nice straight ascent.
This rocket's electronics prematurely deployed its parachute, while the
motor was still burning.
The motor is still burning. The parachute seems to be obscured in the smoke.
The motor is out but the rocket has separated from its parachute.
This is never a good situation.
The Range Safety Officer is giving an amazingly close look at
Mercury Joe (probably looking at the electronics.)
This is Jamie Clay's much-anticipated rocket which is bristling with
video cameras.
It's also Jamie's Level 3 certification flight.
"Mercury Joe" is a scale-model Mercury capsule carrying a GI Joe figure.
Heads up!
I got this picture of a rocket inches from touchdown under parachute,
right at the vendor tables.
It's probably good that Karl from Mojave Desert High Power hasn't
arrived yet.
Everyone's looking at the rocket that landed on the wrong side of the
flight line.
Launch Director Peter Clay with one of his retro-themed rockets.
The Launch Control Officer had to stop launches while this RV drove into
the downrange area... and stopped there. Someone is going out to them
to tell them everyone is waiting for them to get off the range.
Mercury Joe lifts off taking video and carrying everyone's hopes that
Jamie will be able to use it for another fun video.
It's also Jamie's Level 3 certification flight.
Mercury Joe tips away from vertical - this is not a good sign.
Mercury Joe continues prematurely arcing over. This is definitely not good.
Mercury Joe spirals out of control.
Everyone knows how much Jamie has worked on this rocket,
and knows it doesn't look good at this point.
Mercury Joe straightens out as it points down at the ground still under thrust.
Mercury Joe's motor burns out.
But there's no saving it now - it's going too fast and heading straight
for the ground.
Mercury Joe impacts on the lakebed. Ouch.
An ARLISS rocket lifts off from Pad C on the 1500-foot row,
carrying university student research payloads from around the world.
(ARLISS is a joint program of AeroPAC and Stanford University.)
A flawless ARLISS flight carries student research payloads.
Is that a big box of crayons next to Pad 21?
No, it's John Coker's big box of rockets that look a lot like crayons.
This is also a much-anticipated flight.
A closer look at John Coker's Crayola Rockets.
John Coker's Crayola rockets launch. Only 4 of the 8 launched
on the first batch before I had to leave.
4 of John Coker's Crayola rockets climb together.
4 of John Coker's Crayola rockets climb together.
A scaled-up Mosquito lifts off from Pad 26.
Cliff Sojourner tells me this is his Skunkworks 5.5" Skeeter on Cesaroni J210.
He says, "It's really beat up, because it has flown about 2 dozen times."
Cliff Sojourner's "Dragonfly Crayon" (H180 motor) lifts off from Pad 11.
Cliff says it's "a crayon with squished X-form
fins, like the Binder Dragonfly."