Anybody Launch Rockets?

SUP3RNOVA

SUP3RNOVA

Goober Gay
Mar 5, 2007
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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.
 


I've done a few kits over the years and it was fun... But couldn't get up to the build-your-own booster level for reasons of chickenshitedness... ;)

Also I have heard that if your rocket goes up to a certain altitude (say, oh, 727 cruising altitude) you can get in really deep shit for firing off a rocket without a specific permit.
 
therookie said:
I really don't have any experience but this is a story that happened at the high school I went to back in the fifties. I think its pretty cool:

Pacelli’s rocket boys recall Mousenik days | The Austin Daily Herald
Click to expand...

That's cool stuff. We just think that the idea of launching an object somewhere outside of Earth ("space") is awesome, and given the advances in technology we think it should possible if you really really want to do it.

edit: as long as we get some high def pics and/or video
 
lukep said:
Also I have heard that if your rocket goes up to a certain altitude (say, oh, 727 cruising altitude) you can get in really deep shit for firing off a rocket without a specific permit.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's obviously going to be a problem. From commercial aircraft altitude up (maybe even lower) we're going to need to make sure that it's controlled airspace. Can't launch a rocket into a plane lol.
 
We use them to launch dime bags over the Canadian border when we go snowmobiling. True story.
 
Used to launch them all the time as a kid. Would mod rocket kits to have 3-4 stages would always disapear.

I could see you building one to get into space pretty easily with some online diagrams and such
 
Yeah, I've launched a few rockets in my childhood/adolescence. My friends and I used fertilizers and stuff to launch our handcrafted rockets. It was really fun. We'd also attach a parachute to the back so we could chase after it after it was deployed. You have to be careful though. During ignition you can really burn your hands... I still have a burn on the back of my fingers.
 
Jizzlobber said:
We use them to launch dime bags over the Canadian border when we go snowmobiling. True story.
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Dime bags? Man up and shoot a couple lbs. over.

marijuana.jpg
 
ive never been into rockets or anything but this seems really cool, update us on your progress, and what you find out. its very interesting.
 
^ Hahah probably not but have you ever heard on anyone launching fucking rockets over the boarder?

And this is the real James Bond:

sean-connery8.jpg
 
If you can find the right material, you can use a helium balloon to cut down the vertical distance maybe 25%. It will keep ascending until the balloon pops or enough helium leaks out and it can't support the weight of the rocket.
 
Jizzlobber said:
We use them to launch dime bags over the Canadian border when we go snowmobiling. True story.
Click to expand...

Bahaha reminds me of the trailer park boys episode where they use a model train to ship weed to the US in exchange for cigarettes.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a68YBKY1VXY"]YouTube - Trailer Park Boys BAAMMMM![/ame]
 
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