Fredericksburg was the last rocket to test for the SystemsGo WSMR Rockets 2026 season. We had a small caravan of cars this morning that headed out early as usual and were on range by 0600.
We had an 0800 T-time. Range time began at 0600. The team was wheels up and rolling at 0500. Fredericksburg followed us into ABC-1 and began the process of loading charges into the rocket.
The SystemsGo team went to the pad to connect all electronics and run prelaunch checks and then waited for the rocket team to come down to load the rocket on the rail. As we waited, we looked around for small things we could do to make packing up go faster after the launch. Unfortunately, we were all unwilling to pack up the second rail for fear of a mishap that would have us need it later. We went past our 0800 T-time and were pushing a 0900-launch time when the team arrived, loaded their rocket and Doc Photo, Judy, took their team photos with it.
After that it was all business as the Fredericksburg students, except those helping on the pad today, evacuated out to Tula G and we set to filling the rocket for launch. The rocket’s vent wouldn’t engage during fill, but Mr. Matthes determined that it would have to fill without venting.
Fredericksburg was fueled and ready for launch right at 0900. The rail and fuel teams evacuated 5 miles out on the range to watch the launch from the road. Rebekah, George and I readied the rocket for fire and evacuated to the “bell” (tiny metal launch bunker) and coordinated with WSMR for countdown and launch. Today Rebekah held the MSS switch, George, manned the launch switches, I watched with a mirror and we all prayed.
To back up a little, this school hasn’t made it to WSMR in a few years, and this year the team was determined an enthusiastic about getting a rocket here and seeing it launch. It seemed the cosmos were against them as they faced a myriad of challenges along the way that might have resulted in other teams aborting long ago. Some of these challenges were having to completely redesign their aft end and find a new machine shop to do it because the first one they had used refused to use their design and instead created his own and it blew up when they tested it. They lost their first fuel grain and had to recreate it as when they went to cure it and an error in baking instructions caused it to melt. The parachute they ordered in February never came in and they had to find another, and the company didn’t even respond to them until this week and wanted to ship it to New Mexico to which they said, “No.” This is just some of what they faced. They worked until midnight the night before they left to come and had passed their FRR and pressure tests before leaving Fredericksburg. When they arrived here everything changed again and they had multiple leaks when they performed their pressure tests before launch that were not planned for or expected. The team didn’t stop. They worked through all these issues and stayed up late again to accomplish a fix. It wasn’t in time to launch or load the rail on Friday, but they were finally back at ABC-1 with their vehicle tested ready by Friday evening and awaiting charges for loading on Saturday.
Their launch sequence commenced and they left the rail without a hitch and sailed into that bright blue sky leaving a trail behind them. We eventually lost sight but heard from optics that it had reached 24000 feet and they parachute had deployed! We were screaming and clapping even though they weren’t there to see it yet.
The students had a computer that was tracking the rocket, and they could see telemetry, elevation and direction and were able to give EOD exact coordinates to find it. It was right where they said it would be and they located it quickly. It was all there laid out on the ground with the nose cone next to it. It did sustain some damage and burning in the cone and wiring for which they were all already trying to examine and determine the cause. This showed the character of this group. The launch was not an end; they want to know why it had the mishaps it did, evident by the damage shown on the vehicle at recovery, in spite of a good launch. The brainstorming began the minute they laid eyes on the vehicle lying on the ground up top of ABC-1. These students will go far as they have the true “want to know,” and “want to learn” this program attempts to develop. Some schools never truly accomplish that aspect of the program. They see the rocket as the goal, when actually it is the learning tool with which to develop great minds of the future that will not only meet the challenge, but find the solution to that challenge and many more to come!
CONGRATULATIONS Fredericksburg Redbird 26 on perseverance and a job well done!
As soon as WSMR determined the pad was again safe, they called for the SG team Fredericksburg’s rocket team to return to the site to tear down. We had the entire site packed up by 1130.
Rebekah and George spoke to the students about perseverance and that this was a great accomplishment in spite of and because of obstacles. Last but never least she thanked all the WSMR personnel for all their hard work and support again this year and gave them each a RTIC tumbler with their own group emblem on one side and the SystemsGo logo on the other, as well as some SG caps.
Doc Photo, Judy took group pictures of the SG team with the Warheads and EOD teams, and then with the whole group of students that were their today. Then we were on the road off of the range with Mission Complete for the year at 1157 this morning.
On the way back we all stopped at Caliche’s Frozen Custard for lunch and ice cream. When we arrived, all the Fredericksburg parents were there with signs, confetti cannons, silly string, and sparkling grape juice with which they attacked the students and Mr. Matthes, drenching them and congratulating them on their launch.
On a side note, after Fredericksburg’s launch, as we were heading back to the pad with our test director, Gabe, he commented, “Hey we put 4 rockets on the rails, and four rockets left the rails and flew without and misfires or hang fires. Has that ever happened before? I know it hasn’t since I have been helping you guys.” To the best of our knowledge, we don’t believe it has. Therefore, SystemsGo set its own record this year in a 100% load and launch cycle.
The SystemsGo team capped off the evening with dinner at Si Senor Mexican Restaurant. Then we took a short hi lights of the town driving tour and called it a day.
One quick side note, we did see five Oryx this year on our way into the range yesterday morning and evening. The four in the morning stood there curiously watching us and posing as if they knew we couldn’t even take their picture, and the one in the afternoon hiding from the heat under a bush.
Tomorrow will be a good breakfast at 6:00 a.m. at Denny’s and then on the road back to Texas by 7:00 a.m.
WSMR concludes another successful year of launches that began with Jal, NM, Jacksboro, Anahuac/Smith Point, and Stonewall. The group helped test 169 Tsiolkovsky, Oberth and Von Braun rockets and 6 Goddard level rockets (4 of which made it to launch and 2 that aborted in New Mexico) for the Rockets 2026 season.
Now the volunteers return to their daily lives and the SystemsGo team transitions into program updates, new teacher training begins with more schools, teachers, students and rockets. It won’t be long and “launch season” will be back again with Rockets 2027. Next year’s season will begin again with spring launches in Jal, New Mexico, NTX- (hopefully in a new site), SETX-Anahuac/Smith Point, CTX-Stonewall, and White Sands Missile Range. It should prove to be another exciting year.
Watch for Spring dates to be announced in late fall, so you can begin planning to watch. Until then, keep your Eyes to The Sky! See you next year!
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.
#Rockets2026 #TexasRocketTrail #EyesonTheSkies #Ridetheskies #ItisRocketScience #EyesToTheSky!
On the Wings of Angels 