Category: Fredericksburg Events

Tuesay, First Launch Day at WSMR

Today was a great success for the SystemsGo program as they met and/ or exceeded three T times with three rockets off the rails. The action started off well with a T time of 8:30 a.m. for Alamo Heights Heights School. They began the day with their smaller rocket built for extra height. It left the rail well, had a beautiful flight and reached a total height of 10086′. At this point the paper phenolic cover around the fuel grain burned off causing the body tube to melt through developing a hole with a side burn after which it rolled over and returned to the range in a ballistic fall. Reports from WSMR have it plugged into the range 970′ from the launch site in lawn dart fashion. This was not totally unexpected since a recovery system was not part of the vehicle.

The 11:00 a.m. T time for Union Grove’s launch meant that SystemsGo had to load the vehicle on the rail, fill and be ready to fire within two and a half hours. This was met and exceeded as their rocket left the rail at 10:59. The rocket had a great lift off but not far into the flight, the engine case blew apart dumping the motor and fuel grain. Preliminary reports are that the nozzle came off causing engine explosion. Their nose cone and shoot deployed, but the shoot did not open. Their max height was 600′.  This was actually the first time that Union Grove High School has left the rail in what is now their third attempt at WSMR. This is a great triumph for them. They are now their school’s first flight at WSMR.  Great job, Union Grove students.

Alamo Heights had a second rocket launch today with a T time of 2:00 p.m. SystemsGo did great work and exceeded this sending them off the rail at 1:48. This rocket only made 180′ after clearing the rail. The same paper phenolic fuel grain cover caused a hole to melt through the rocket at which point it began tumbling end over end back to the range.

Congratulations to both schools, at having achieved getting a rocket off the rail at WSMR. Post Flight Analysis on all these vehicles should prove to be enlightening and educational.

Tomorrow’s schedule is tentative because at this point the scheduled schools’ rockets are not pad ready. They are all going out to the range at 5:00 a.m. to complete work on them and hopefully keep the tight schedule for the day. The following is the schedule at this time:

Wednesday launch order:

  • 8:30 a.m. Anahuac
  • 11:00 a.m. Booker T. Washington (1)
  • 2:00 p.m. Booker T. Washington (2)

Event details will continue to be available here. I will provide more information each morning as to how the schedule and other event details will progress for that day and how launches went for the schools testing that day. Pictures are not allowed on the range, but some pictures of teams getting ready to leave for the range with their vehicles might be available. If anything is available I will post it for your viewing pleasure.

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.

The picture was provided by parent, Lori Davis of the Union Grove High School Rocket team after their launch here at WSMR.

Monday, T-1 Briefing and Set up Day at WSMR Results in Slight Schedule Change

SystemsGo and the participating schools had a productive first day at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) today. They started the day with the T-1 Briefing. This is basically WSMR rules and regulations for the range. It covers all basic information such as weather conditions, wind speeds, airspace schedules and logistics.

WSMR personnel made introductions so all involved would know who they are and who to contact for help from the base. After the T-1 brief they teased that it was the “dumbed down” version for civilians. At the end Scott Netherland introduced the SystemsGo team and specified their roles with the organization.

By 10:30 they were headed down range to West Center 50 launch site. This is where the schools, SystemsGo, and WSMR personnel spent the afternoon getting ready for tomorrow’s launches. All equipment and rockets had to be set up and completed to meet the Tuesday testing schedule. Everything went well and it was a very productive day albeit a little long and quite hot.

Union Grove had a small problem with their vehicle that kept it from passing the pressure tests so in order to be sure that the schedule would stay on course tomorrow, they moved  Alamo Height’s smaller rocket into the first launch window for tomorrow morning, because they had to have one on the rail and ready tonight to keep the schedule. Union was able to fix their problem and pass the second round of pressure tests so they will resume as the second launch in the morning.

Because of this tomorrow launch schedule is as follows:

  • 8:30 a.m. Alamo Heights High School (1)
  • 11:00 a.m. Union Grove High School
  • 3:00 p.m. Alamo Heights High School (2)

Due to the 8:30 T time tomorrow will be an early day for SystemsGo team and schools. They will be leaving for the range by 5:30 a.m. Alamo Heights parents going to Range Control to view the launches will be leaving at 6:15 a.m. Subsequently parents with Union Grove will be heading to Range Control by 9:00 a.m.

If it is a perfect day and all goes well with no exceptions with each launch, then the tests should be complete by 3:00 p.m. Realistically this is a very tight launch sequence with little to no room for errors. As long as each rocket that loads the rail leaves without any issues at ignition this schedule will hold and therefore the next days will follow as currently scheduled. If one vehicle has to be taken down from the rail then the next launch window will be lost and the schedule will have to shift.

Therefore let us all hope and pray for the best for each school so that they may have a successful launch tomorrow and that all schedules hold true.

Here is the current preview of the launches scheduled for Wednesday. Tomorrow’s blog will have a final schedule for the day based on Tuesday’s test success.

  • Wednesday launch order: Anahuac, Booker T. Washington (1), Booker T. Washington (2)

Event details will continue to be available here. I will provide more information each morning as to how the schedule and other event details will progress for that day and how launches went for the schools testing that day. Pictures are not allowed on the range, but some pictures of teams getting ready to leave for the range with their vehicles might be available. If anything is available I will post it for your viewing pleasure.

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.

Sunday Rockets Headed to White Sands-Day 1-Report and Monday Early Information

The SystemsGo team rolled out of Fredericksburg at just before 9:00 a.m. this morning to head out to White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) in New Mexico and arrived at Alamogordo around 5:30 this evening. Travel went well, and two schools, Alamo Heights and Booker T. Washington met us there.

Tomorrow is an informational and set up day. SystemsGo personnel and only student and teacher participants from the schools head out at 6:00 a.m. for T-1 briefing  and afterwards setup at West Center 50 launch site.

Event details will continue to be available here. I will provide more information each morning as to how the schedule and other event details will progress for that day and how launches went for the schools testing the previous day. Pictures are not allowed on the range, but some pictures of teams getting ready to leave for the range with their vehicles might be available. If anything is available I will post it for your viewing pleasure.

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.

Team photo includes from left to right, Ginger Burow, Scott Netherland, Randy Kuhlmann, Steve Burow, Brian Heffner, Gene Garrett, Andrew Matthes ,Rebecca Hyatt, and Josh Hampton. Not available for this picture, Chelsea Burow.

2 More Days- Here’s What’s Happening for WSMR

The SystemsGo team and schools leave for New Mexico to launch rockets at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) on Sunday, June 26. That is two days from today. The list and schedules have been finalized and packing is underway.

The schedule will proceed as follows:

  • Sunday will be their travel day to Alamogordo, NM to the hotel.
  • Monday morning will be T-1 briefing
  • Monday afternoon they will travel to West Center 50 Range and do site set up and rocket prep
  • Tuesday launch order: Union Grove, Alamo Heights (1), Alamo Heights(2)
  • Wednesday launch order: Anahuac, Booker T. Washington (1), Booker T. Washington (2)
  • Thursday launch order: Fredericksburg, Make up #1, Make up #2
  • Friday will be travel back home for each group.
  • If for any reason tests run late on Tuesday and Fredericksburg is delayed then they will shift to first on Wednesday and subsequent launches will shift as needed.

The final list of schools participating in this year’s WSMR tests is:

  • Alamo Heights High School
  • Anahuac High School
  • Booker T. Washington High School
  • Fredericksburg High School
  • Union Grove High School

Parents be sure your child and yourselves if you are already on the approved list with SystemsGo, and attending, has proper identification with them. State driver’s license, federal pass port, or state id card are required for access to the base. Also be sure they have medical insurance information with them in case of an emergency.

Please be advised that WSMR is an Army base and does not allow spectators in to view these launches. Only the students, personnel, and parents who have been previously approved through SystmsGo and added to the list may enter the base with the group. Please do not drive to White Sands and attempt to enter on your own, or expect to do so with the group, because you will be turned away.

Event details will continue to be available here. I will provide information as made available to me from team members on site as to how launches have gone for those schools testing on that particular day. Pictures are not allowed on the range, but some pictures of teams getting ready to leave for the range with their vehicles might be available. If anything is available and passed on, I will post it for your viewing pleasure.

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.

WSMR Report-17 More Days

Today marks 17 days until the SystemsGo team and schools head to New Mexico to launch rockets at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR). Already the schedule has changed since this time last week. Luckily the dates haven’t changed only brought the return date to Friday now instead of Saturday.

The classified tests WSMR had scheduled for Wednesday have been canceled allowing launches to continue on Wednesday instead of having a down day on that date. Sorry folks, that means no scheduled sight-seeing after all, but at least you will be home with more of your July 4th weekend in tact for fun.

I will not be posting the actual launch schedule for the schools until next week once we are positive there are no more changes and all schools slated to go are on board for sure. Fredericksburg is still feverishly working on the completion of their rocket. At this point no other schools on the list have given indication that any critical problems could cause them to abort.

Parents if you will be joining your child on this trip, and if they have a vehicle to launch, then you should be, then please get your identifying information in to your child’s teacher immediately. Only those on the list with information in ahead of time will be allowed on the base to observe the launches. Do not miss out on this it is definitely a trip in which you should participate.

Event details will continue to be available here. As schools and schedules finalize I will provide an updated list of  those schools traveling to WSMR and the launch schedule. The week of the launches I will provide information as made available to me from team members on site as to how launches have  gone for those schools testing on that particular day. Pictures are not allowed on the range, but maybe some pictures of teams getting ready to leave for the range with their vehicles might be available. If anything is available and passed on, I will post it for your viewing pleasure.

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.

WSMR Rocket Launches Fast Approaching

The SystemsGo Rocket program now transitions to Goddard level rockets. These rockets and their subsequent launches at WSMR (White Sands Missile Range) are the culmination of all the skills the students have learned throughout their years in the STEM program. This is the final senior project for those schools that participate in this level of the SystemsGo program.

Launches are scheduled for June 27 through July 1. The group will travel out to WSMR on Sunday, June 26, and back home again on Saturday, July 2.

These launches have been anywhere from June to mid August in past years, with multiple rescheduling happening all the way up to time to leave because of Army necessity. Actually having a fairly concrete date this year means students have to be on their game and get their vehicles completed on a tight schedule. According to Fredericksburg’s STEM teacher, Andrew Matthes, their group has a deadline of today, Friday, June 10 to have their rocket completed and ready to travel. Other schools involved most likely have similar dead lines.

As of Wednesday, June 1, the class was reported by Mr. Matthes to be on schedule with final modifications being made in all areas, including the following:

  • The after section for the motor is at Rode’s Welding for attachment to the 10′ long Nitrous tank
  • Avionics is installing the payload in the forward skirt
  • Propulsion has had a successful pour of their HTPB fuel grain, and is now working on the fuel canister
  • Nose cone is completing the shoulder part which sticks into the airframe of the rocket
  • Fins are in the attachment stage of the aft motor section

Notice in the above list, that Rode’s Welding is mentioned. Part of the skills learned in this program is when and where to contract other professionals to finish a component. Most of the components of this vehicle are finished by the students, but when there is an area that requires a more professional skill base, the students have to know how to draw out specific design models and calculations and present them to a welder, machinist or other entity so that they are created according to the design they have drawn out for the completed vehicle.

There are 5 schools scheduled to launch 6 for sure, possibly 7 rockets. These schools include:

  • Alamo Heights (2)
  • Anahuac (1)
  • Booker T. Washington (1 for sure, possibly 2)
  • Fredericksburg (1)
  • Union Grove (1)

This year is unique in that the Army has some classified tests scheduled that involve the range (West Center 50), SystemsGo uses to launch. Therefore, instead of launching straight through and then leaving, there will be a break in the schedule on Wednesday, when the group will not be allowed access to the range. SystemsGo is looking into activities for the group to do on that open day.

When I checked in with Mr. Matthes and his class on their project status, this was the enthusiastic response they delivered.

Jacob Eckhardt, “We are cutting it close but we’re working on getting it done, full force.”

Mr. Matthes added, “with reduced workforce.”

This is a common malady of the program for the senior group. After school lets out it is  hard to keep them focused, but there is always a dedicated contingency of the team that usually stays on point and gets the vehicle completed and off to WSMR.  This is just a hazard of the launches being a summer trip after graduation. Even with this, 95% of the time, the project makes it to White Sands.

Today is 23 days out until the group leaves for WSMR. Watch this blog in upcoming weeks for more information and a launch schedule to be posted.

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.

 

 

 

Rocket Camp for Grades 4-9

 

Rockets are not just for high school students. If you are in grades 4-9 there is a rocket program just for you. It is the Community Education Rocket Camp. It will be held in room# 401 at the Fredericksburg High School on Monday, June 6 through Thursday, June 9.

High school STEM/Rocket program instructor, Andrew Matthes and an assistant, will help each student build and launch their personal rocket. The laws of rocket stability, aerodynamics and fluid dynamics will also be taught providing students with a better understanding of the vehicle they are building and what makes it fly.

Two sessions will be held daily. The morning session will be from 9:00 a.m.-12 noon, and the afternoon session will be from 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.  Camp tuition is $99  and each student will receive a camp t-shirt, and all the supplies needed to complete their vehicle.

The students will launch their vehicles during their class session on Thursday at the practice field next to the Fredericksburg Primary school. Parents are invited to watch.

This camp is a great introduction to the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics) program. It is a fun and educational way to peak your child’s interest in future learning. Plus they get to build, launch and keep their rocket as a trophy of their accomplishment.

Here is a link to the Community Education brochure for the summer session. The Rocket Camp is on page 2. The registration form is on page 8.

https://fisd.org/commed/FISD%20Community%Ed%20Flyers/SUMMER%202016%20BROCHURE.pdf

Camp starts Monday, so if you are interested it would be best to bring your payment and registration form in to the FISD district office at 234 Friendship Lane, Fredericksburg, Texas. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Registration for this class is available until class limits are reached or classes begin at 9:00 a.m.  and 1:00 p.m. on Monday.

Fredericksburg, Houston Done-Next Stop White Sands Missile Range

The SystemsGo team made it home safely, around midnight Monday morning after a very wet and soggy couple of days of launching in Clute, Texas, down south of Houston. In spite of weather they were still able to accommodate the schools on the roster for the weekend. Some of them had to be moved to Sunday due to a bad storm that shut launches down early on Saturday. This same storm unfortunately soaked all the electronic equipment shutting down the Livestream permanently for the rest of the weekend.

The recovery teams spent days wading in water to recover rockets for the schools. Several storms went over the area during the two days, delaying launches and adding even more water to an already water drenched range. Even so, it was still a successful weekend for the team and the schools participating.

With Fredericksburg and Houston rocket launches complete for the 2016 season, SystemsGo and the schools with 4th year STEM classes in the program focus solely on finishing the Goddard level rockets. These much larger scale vehicles will travel to White Sands Missile Range(WSMR) the last week in June to launch. At the moment, these launches are scheduled for June 27 through July 1. That is still subject to change as the Army determines need, all the way up to the day they leave. Preliminary estimates look good though that they may stay as currently planned. As the time moves closer I will post updates to let everyone be aware of the exact dates. Of course, there is no public access or live feeds from this launch because it is on a military base and is heavily guarded and controlled.

I will continue to provide information on the program in upcoming weeks. Watch for upcoming articles with interviews with past students from the program and how SystemsGo and the STEM program helped shape and influence their lives.

Event details will  also continue to be available here. As schools and schedules finalize I will provide a list of  those schools traveling to WSMR. The week of the launches I will provide information as made available to me from team members on site as to how launches have  gone for those schools shooting on that particular day. Pictures are not allowed on the range, but some of teams getting ready to leave for the range with their vehicles might be  available. If anything is available and passed on, I will post it for your viewing pleasure.

The STEM program benefits our children’s future. Sponsors and volunteers are always needed. Check into how you can support the program in your area.

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.

Houston Rockets 2016- Travel & Set up

The StsytemsGo team left Thursday after noon headed to Clute, Texas down by Lake Jackson, which is south of Houston. They arrived safely at their hotel at 7:44 that evening. Today, they are busy setting up the launch site, and readying everything for an early start tomorrow.

Launches will be all day tomorrow, Saturday, and Sunday with 12 schools launching a total of 27 vehicles. Hopefully weather will not give them any trouble with all the recent rains and flooding.

Please be advised that this is a very small launch site, and it doesn’t allow public access, but there will be Livestream from there again so friends and family can still watch the action.

As I mentioned previously, Phil Houseal will be traveling along with the  team this year to conduct interviews on the site with students, teachers, team and other person’s of interest at this launch much like he did here at Willow City.  This is a great new addition that allows the public to get a glimpse at education in motion. Get online and watch these students as they learn and share first hand.

Zach Pooser, owner of Chassis by Zach is on site providing the Livestream up-link.  Here is the link to the live stream for the Houston launches.

http://livestream.com/accounts/3165037/events/5422984

Zach and Phil provide a great experience for both viewers at home and the students and team on site while helping to bolster the STEM program. Allowing the public to share in the actions and see what these students are accomplishing as they apply all they have learned and continue to learn from their launch results helps SystemsGo to grow interest in the future of the STEM program and the hands on approach to learning.

Here are just a few pictures from when the team left on Thursday.

https://www.facebook.com/ginger.burow/media_set?set=a.1142293862458410.1073741866.100000334203350&type=3

Event details will be available here each day of the event. Daily reports featuring schedules, school names, results, pictures if available, and some editorial content will also be posted.

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.

After Fredericksburg and Before Houston Rockets

Yesterday was the first day after Fredericksburg Rockets 2016, time to go back to work and the real world. It was my daughter, Kasey’s 21st birthday. We celebrated with her at Auslander Restaurant with good food and family. No drinks though, she just wasn’t interested. I think she has seen too much in the military with friends that drink. Not a bad thing though. We are just excited to have her home for her birthday, something that hasn’t happened in three years. Her sister, Chelsea is on the way home right now to do a little celebrating with her today since she couldn’t be here last night, so there is still more fun to be had. Congratulations Kasey on your birthday. We love you bunches!

Chelsea and Steve are heading to Houston on Thursday with SystemsGo to help schools in that area launch more vehicles. Unfortunately I won’t be able to make this trip this year so no pictures to post unless Chelsea, Phil, Steve, or other team members send me some shots. Usually I do get one or two from their phones that I can use with this blog, just no big picture posts on Facebook. They will be quite busy so I am not counting on anything like that. I do good to get daily report information to pass along for this blog, but I will get that.

This launch will be Saturday and Sunday. There will be 12 schools and 27 new rockets to send skyward. This is a very small launch site out in the swampy area near Clute, and it doesn’t allow public access, but there will be Livestream from there again so friends and family can still watch the action.

Phil Houseal will be traveling along with the  team this year to conduct interviews on the site with students, teachers, team and other person’s of interest at this launch much like he did here at Willow City.  This is a great new addition that allows the public to get a glimpse at education in motion. Get online and watch these students as they learn and share first hand.

Here is the link to the live stream again. This is actually the link for Sunday’s live feed at Willow City last weekend, but for now, until new feeds start on this Saturday, it will get you to the Livestream site.

http://livestream.com/accounts/3165037/events/5379604

Please remember that since there is no pubic access to this event,  there are no tickets for order like there were last week in Fredericksburg.

Event details will be available here each day of the event. Daily reports featuring schedules, school names, results, pictures if available, and some editorial content will also be posted.

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.