Anybody Launch Rockets?



lol I remember I built a potato launcher when I was like 15 using PVC pipes, it's still under my bed.
 
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Space, sí. Fly.
 
I've not really done an amateur rocket though. Ours was joint NASA/JAXA sponsored. The atmospheric data related to the aurora borealis.
 
I taught the Blue Skies Rocket Club in 4H for nearly 10 years.. Every week for 14 weeks we launched rockets of all shapes and sizes.. I spent the year making one rocket to launch as part of our final show.. Three years we actually called to make sure we had airspace clearance for a few of my rockets.. Never did recover those..

Also had a visit from the sheriff for the one I loaded with my own special blend of napalm.. The 40' fireball in the sky was apparently seen by a few people 'oops'.. Also got in trouble for the launch in to a storm cloud while trailing a coil of 30 gauge copper wire.. Man made lightning rocks, but wear sunglasses and hearing protection.. Trust me..

Model kits are the best place to start to learn the ins and outs of safe launch procedures.. Also gets you in tune with guidance and recovery.. Be prepared to lose some..

When you step up to "big" rockets F and G series Aerotech engines are the best to starrt with.. AeroTech

And yes, I still have all my hair and fingers.. But just barely..
 
its effin science on g4 launched like a teddy bear or some shit up pretty damn high, didnt seem that difficult either
 
built this at summer camp when I was a kid. I actually bought the same kit about a year and a half ago and now its sitting in my closet D:

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Used to play with model rockets all the time.

Definitely a thrill to see your creation launch a few miles into the sky.

Good luck finding a hobby store that's still in business!
 
SUP3RNOVA said:
Just wondering if anybody here has experience building/launching rockets. A couple physics grads + myself have recently gotten a pretty strong desire to learn how to build our own rockets and launch them.

The goals right now are to start with small rocket kits, build up to large rocket kits, and then start the process of building our own. Our first major goal (a bit lofty) is to launch a rocket into space (62 miles high). Obviously a goal like this should theoretically take years to accomplish and might not even be possible (for us), but a goal has to be there and that's ours.

I'm just looking for input from any physicists, engineers, and anybody with experience. Starting advice (kits to go with)? Are our goals attainable? What timeframes should we be looking at? WF seems to have a decent sampling of smart individuals in various fields, hence wasting a thread on this.

We're in the extreme preliminary phases of getting started with this (as in coming up with idea & finding a team a few days ago), so any advice is taken into account and appreciated.
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My best friend is a demolitions expert. We used to build rockets when we were kids with fins on the front and back so that we could launch them sideways with home made TATP in the tips, so when the rockets would hit trees/animals/shit that sucked, the targets would be blown to pieces.

If you want to get into legal rocket building there are hobby forums online.
 
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