We had a slow start today due to low cloud ceilings for our first day of launches at the new Stonewall site at the Sammy Segner Ranch. The schedule began with 11 schools and 25 rockets and quickly decreased to 7 schools and 17 rockets as 4 schools canceled due to weather concerns.
The original list included Fabens, Fredericksburg, Granger, Hamilton, Kingwood, Lampasas, Llano, Marble Falls, McGregor, Roosevelt, and Summer Creek. OF the four schools that canceled, I have not been able to confirmation as to whether they have rescheduled to another day, or dropped out for this year. These schools include Fabens, Lampasas, Llano, and Summer Creek. At this time schedules have not been updated on SystemsGo to confirm changes so I will continue to post them for up coming days as they are. SystemsGo did post a bulletin yesterday offering Sunday as a weather contingency day to make up launches. We have no word yet if any schools have moved to that day.
The team and volunteers did manage 9 rockets on the rails today of which, 6 launched, and three returned to Stage 3. Of the 6 only Frederickburg’s Transonic and McGregor’s 1 pound/1 mile were not recovered before the site had to be shut down for a severe thunderstorm approaching. Roosevelt was still in Stage 3 finishing their rocket at that time. Eight other rockets were ready for the rails and stored in the SystemsGo trailer for protection for the night.
Property owner, Sammy Segner, and son-in-law, Troy Spies, helped on recovery today. They participated as part of 8 teams in the field watching, and documenting rockets as they sailed the skies and returned to the ground. Mr. Segner is seen here on the second recovery of the day as he retrieves Kingwood’s #76 rocket from a tree with the help of Steve Burow. Standing by were Mr. Segner’s recovery partner, George Burns, and Burow’s partner, Ginger(me), who were navigating the new ArcGIS Survey for the Recovery of Rockets, by AlphaSAR, that Erin Arkinson, with Alpha Search and Rescue from Houston, was helping our teams to implement to better track the vehicles’ recoveries.
We really appreciate the use of Mr. Segner’s place for this concert in the sky, as well as his enthusiastic participation in our recovery efforts.
Pictures from the progress at the site to this point are on SystemsGo Facebook page, as well as my Facebook page. They can be found here:
https://www.facebook.com/SystemsGoEducation/
https://www.facebook.com/ginger.burow
Festivities continue tomorrow as weather permits. Unfortunately, tomorrow is predicted to be the worst weather day for the stint of Stonewall Rockets 2019. Hopefully it will allow for some launches. Right now there is an 80% prediction of more storms during the night tonight as well as all day tomorrow. This could cause delays in our start times tomorrow as well as subsequent launches throughout the day.
Watch SystemsGo‘s Facebook page as well as their web page for updates about delays in the morning and throughout the day.
As for tomorrow, launches will continue as possible at the Sammy Segner Ranch on Double Horn Road and Stages 1 and 2 will be at the Stonewall Chamber of Commerce building.
Remember if you and your school have not been to the sites already today, these are also a new locations. Be sure you have the updated maps and directions to your intended locations. Links are posted below.
The site is open to public viewing of launches. However, if you plan to attend any of these launch days please register for your attendance ticket ahead of time or obtain them at the gate. These are free but required for admittance to each site as they also include a waiver for access to the site. Reserving them ahead at the website is preferred to obtaining them at the gate because the latter slows entrance to the site and may result in you missing the viewing of your intended launch.
The Central Texas/Stonewall launch dates, locations, map links, ticket links, Livestream links and schools are also listed here for your convenience or can be found at http://www.systemsgo.org/events/ .
Central Texas/Stonewall:
- Friday, May 3
- New Launch Site: 2187 Double Horn Road, Stonewall, Texas 78671
Stage 1 & 2 at Stonewall Chamber of Commerce: 250 Peach Street, Stonewall, TX 78671 - https://www.greateventseats.com/FBG-SystemsGo
- Central Texas-Stonewall 2019 Flight Schedule
- Google Map Link: https://goo.gl/maps/84VMTwMqFvy
Directions (PDF) - Schools participating: Fabens HS, Fredericksburg HS, Granger HS, Hamilton HS, Kingwood HS, Lampasas HS, LLano HS, Marble Falls HS, McGregor HS, Roosevelt HS, Summer Creek HS, Decatur HS, Georgetown HS, Kermit HS, Liberty Christian School, Terrell HS, Tom Moore Ingram HS, Union Grove HS, Victoria East HS
- 48 expected rockets for testing-16 on Friday
- A live feed for each launch will be provided and will be available at www.systemsgo.org as each launch date arrives. Friday’s is as follows: May 3- Day 2
The sites will be open for admittance at 8:00 a.m. and launches will commence at 8:30 a.m. Of course rockets are subject to winds, weather and workmanship, all of which can stall a launch. Come join in the action and cheer on these students. Admission is free, but the look on your students’ faces when their vehicle goes up and then is recovered, is far from priceless.
More event details will be available here in upcoming days as events get closer. Daily reports featuring schedule links, school names, results, pictures and some editorial content will be posted during the events if information is available.
Please watch the SystemsGo website, SystemsGo Facebook page, SystemsGo Twitter feed: https://twitter.com/SystemsGoNews and this blog for upcoming information on theses events.
www.systemsgo.org as always is the place for more information on this program. You may also email them at info@systemsgo.org . Take the time to get your school involved, the future of your students will be greatly benefited.
Hope to see you at the launches! #RideTheSkies #texasrockettrail #Rockets2019
On the Wings of Angels 