Rockets 2024 and The Texas Rocket Trail Ended in Southeast Texas/Smith Point Saturday, May 11

Saturday marked the end of the Rockets 2024 Season with the second and final day of launches in Smith Point. The weather was cloudy, windy and a little cooler than Friday. We had rockets loaded on the rails for testing by 10:35 Saturday morning and we stayed steady until later in the day. At that point we had a lag as the last few were slow coming out of Stage 2. Luckily tests were done and mission complete by 8:00 pm and we were headed for dinner at the Crawfish Place!

The original schedule listed 17 rockets for testing, but by day’s end some carryovers from NTX Rockets, and CTX Rockets coupled with schools that dropped the number they had actually brought, only adjusted the number to 18 as the final number to launch which still meant a full day.

Most rockets left the rail on their first try, with only a few having to make extra attempts after minor adjustments. In all it was a good day of steady launches. Of the 18 launched only 9 were recovered. High upper winds carried the floaters and the Transonics away. Several splashed into or very near the bay. Coach Kirk will enlist the help of air boats later this week to try to locate them. One was believed to have landed in a gator nest. They just might have their own new toy, since not too many takers stepped up to retrieve it.

Steve helped under the tent again this year, spotting for recovery, carrying rockets to the pad, repairing rockets and whatever else was needed. Bert and I manned the media tent. Bert ran the cameras and streaming. I did student interviews, took photos, helped spot rockets and anything else that was needed. Chelsea ran the pad and did some rocket surgery along the way.

It was another good year of launches, with great weather except in Central and good help to make everything go smoothly.

Spring launches are complete for 2024. The summer launches at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico are next up on the schedule in mid June.

• Schools participating this weekend are were: Atascosita HS, North Shore HS, Brazoswood HS, Friendswood HS, Hargrave HS, American Community Schools Abu Dhahi, Summer Creek HS, Dexter Learning, Kingwood Park HS, Anahuac HS, and Hardin Jefferson HS
• A recording of the live feed for each launch in the spring series isstill available for viewing online at www.systemsgo.org/events  

Thank you for joining us for launch season, and for supporting the schools and youth that participate in the SystemsGo curriculum. Most of the team members that travel with SystemsGo are volunteer based. We support them to ensure the program continues. We have all seen first hand the impact this STEM education program has had on family members and community member students, and the futures it has afforded those who participated in it and went on to college and beyond, applying what they learned.

Please watch the SystemsGo website, SystemsGo Facebook page,  SystemsGo Twitter feed: https://twitter.com/SystemsGoNews and this blog for upcoming information on these 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 you enjoyed this year’s launches!

#RideTheSkies #texasrockettrail #Rockets2024 #EyesontheSkies