Tag: Brazoswood High School

Rockets 2025 and The Texas Rocket Trail Ended in Southeast Texas/Smith Point Saturday, May 10

Saturday marked the end of the Rockets 2025 Season with the second and final day of launches in Smith Point. The weather was partly cloudy, with a strong cool wind.  Saturday morning  we had a lag as the rockets were coming in one at a time, hours apart. By 3:36 we had only launched 3 successfuly and attempted a 4th which prematruely popped on the rail and had to be taken back to Stage 3 for a reset and new charges. Rockets were extremely slow coming out of Stage 2.

The original schedule listed 18 rockets for testing and by day’s end  the number the number tested was still 18 with the final rocket failing on the rail and mission complete having been called becuase our window of oppotunity had closed with the setting sun.

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 for launches. Most were recovered. In the early part of the day it was super slow getting them out of Stage 2 so they could pass through Stage through loaded and ready to fly. Late in the afternoon everyting shifted and the last volleys were full ones with rockets floowoing in quick succession. 

Steve helped under the tent again this year, spotting for recovery, carrying rockets to the pad, and whatever else was needed. Bert manned the media tent. Bert ran the cameras and streaming. In the early part of the day he had student volunteers but due to the slow progress they decided to go to Stage 2 and see if they coule lend a hand. After that I did  a few student interviews, took photos, helped spot rockets and attempted to make sure rockets were signed off on when they were returned. Late in the afternoon Chelsea  arrived and helped at the pad and did some rocket surgery along the way.

Luckily tests were done and mission complete by 8:00 pm, we closed down to a beautiful sunset and all headed for dinner at the Crawfish Place!

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

Spring launches are complete for 2025. The summer launches at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico are next up on the schedule June 13-15, with travel days on either side.

  • Schools participating this weekend are were: North Shore HS, Brazoswood HS, Friendswood HS, Hargrave HS, American Community Schools Abu Dhahi, Summer Creek HS, Kingwood Park HS, Anahuac HS, Hardin Jefferson HS, Fredericksburg HS, Elsik HS, and Ball HS.
  • A recording of the live feed for each launch in the spring series is still 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! See you again next spring!

#RideTheSkies #texasrockettrail #Rockets2025 #EyesontheSkies #EyesToTheSkies

The Texas Rocket Trail 2025 Started in Southeast Texas/Smith Point Today, Friday, May 9

Friday marked the beginning  of the last leg of the Texas Rocket Trail for Rockets 2025, and the first day of launches in Smith Point. Luckily, we had good weather for testing today, unlike last weekend in Central Texas.

The original schedule listed 24 rockets for testing, and we managed 21. One aborted, and two will launch tomottow. Recovery had a good day and brought back about 95% of the   rockets launched. We had 5 teams so the area was well covered, and  there were several that the pad collected due to the close proximity of their landing.

We had three Brazoswood seniors that came to support our media department with interviews and launch fimling. Ava Andrews, Michaela Gutrmuth, and Gosha Krasovskiy led students through stories about their rockets, hopes for their future, thoughts about their launch once it was done. They were very creative in their questions as well as entertaining during down time. Ava plans to return tomorrow with a host of new students, and has already been charged with keeping them in line and showing them how the system works and what to do to keep student rocket teams engaged.

The Pad had a great day with a fairly steady stream of launches, and a lot of good help. Returning alumni, Austin Hodges from Anahuac, now recently medically released Navy lent a hand. Brandon from Lockhead was there for now his third launch this year as well.

Rebekah Hyatt, Program Director awarded to scholarships today. One was the Brett Williams Scholarship to Tina Lee, from Anahuac and the Gene Garrett Scholarship to Kingwoodpark student, Lucas Pagano.

The last volley of launches was around 7:30 p.m. The teams left the site at 8:00 p.m. headed for the Oyster Bayoo Hunting Club for dinner.   Hamburger steak, mashed potatoes, veggie casserole, gravy, salad, and a deicious dessert of yellow cake with a cool whip, back berry, blue blerry and lemon topping.

After dinner several left, and others went to bed, but the domino players started their games for a few rounds before bed and another early morning.

Tommorrow, Saturday, May 10, boasts another 18 rockets. There is  possible rain midday tomorrow. Hopefully it will hold out until after launches so that we do not have to delay and go into contingency on Sunday.

Pictures from the above-mentioned events, and rockets as well as 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/SystemsGoNews

https://www.facebook.com/ginger.burow

Festivities continue with launches resuming tomorrow, Saturday.

Restrooms and wash stations will be provided at the launch site. Spectators are welcomed this year. Teachers are asked to bring pop-up tents for themselves and their students. Please remember sunscreen, chairs, umbrellas, extra snacks, drinks, and food. Downtime entertainment for the students to engage in between launches may also be helpful.

The look on your students’ faces when their vehicle goes up and then is recovered is priceless. If they know you are watching and supporting them, then it is even more memorable. If you are not on site, then shoot them a text, letting them know you are watching online.

The Southeast Texas/Smith Point launch date begins Friday. Livestream links and schools are also listed here for your convenience or can be found at http://www.systemsgo.org/events/ .

Southeast Texas Launches

  • Saturday, May 10, 2025
  • 6 are Schools participating Friday at Smith Point
  • 18 expected rockets for testing on Friday.
  • A Livestream for each launch will be provided and will be available at www.systemsgo.org/events as each launch date arrives. Friday’s is as follows:
  • Streaming Link May 10 SETX
  • The sites will be open to admittance for students and teachers only at 6:00 a.m. Projected start time for launches is between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. All is contingent on test vehicle readiness and ability to pass Stages 1 and 2. Mission Control will be ready for Stage 3 checks by 8:00 a.m.

More details will be available here each day. Reports featuring schedule links, school names, results, pictures, and editorial content will be posted during the events if information is available.

Please watch the SystemsGo website, SystemsGo Facebook page,  links listed above,  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 #Rockets2025 #EyesontheSkies #EyesToTheSkies

Rockets 2025 Southeast Texas/Smith Point Launches Wednesday/Thursday May 7 & 8 Setup Recap and Friday Pregame – May 9

Southeast Texas Rockets started off Wednesday and Thursday with travel and set up days in Smith Point. After one partial rain out day in Central Texas that resulted in Friday’s launches being cut short with only half tested, and having to double up on what turned out to be a fabulous day of launching on Saturday, we are hoping for no rain delays for this weekend. After rain in the area last weekend, all through this week and predicted for this weekend delays are a strong possibility, but we are keeping a hopeful outlook on blue skies and rockets sailing high both days. And unfortunately mosquitoes are  a strong possibility as well.  So if you are coming to SETX Rockets 2025 bring your spray! Luckily a nice breeze has kept them at bay and not just Trinity.

Kirk Moore and his crew were able to set up tents and mark the pad on Monday. SystemsGo Team members began arriving Wednesday and finishing set up for Stage 1, 2, 3, Mission Control and the Pad and do pad tests.Bert Mikosh will be manning the operations for the media tent with help from students and other team members. Joyce Abby will again join us to be the “voice of rockets.”

The team is once again trying out new accommodations. This year we are actually staying in Anahuac at Oyster Bayou Hunting Club.  So we moved closer our launch site it Smith Point. It has a great rooms, nice owners who even provide food, and a very cozy feel.

The team finished early at the site so they spent the evening at the club playing 42, having drinks, eating raw oysters and then enjoying a pot roast dinnery all supplied by the owner. This is indeed a new treat for all of us. Usually it is a late night dinner where ever we can find open when we finish at the range.

The original schedule listed 12 schools and 42 rockets slated for testing this weekend in Smith Point. Fredericksburg High School is attempting a new rocket to launch here in Smith Point this weekend to test strain guages on their fins. Their test in Central Texas last weekend, resulted in a destructive crash so no data was collected so as seniors they are determined to do better.

Twenty-one rockets are scheduled for Friday, as festivities begin.

Pictures from the above-mentioned events, and rockets as well as 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

Restrooms and wash stations will be provided at the launch site. Spectators are welcomed this year. Teachers are asked to bring pop-up tents for themselves and their students. Please remember sunscreen, chairs, umbrellas, extra snacks, drinks, and food. Downtime entertainment for the students to engage in between launches may also be helpful.

Concessions are provided again this year. We have a new vendor from New Beginning’s Restaurant in Anahuac. Below is there menu for the weekend.

The look on your students’ faces when their vehicle goes up and then is recovered is priceless. If they know you are watching and supporting them, then it is even more memorable. If you are not on site, then shoot them a text, letting them know you are watching online.

The Southeast Texas/Smith Point launch date begins Friday. Livestream links and schools are also listed here for your convenience or can be found at http://www.systemsgo.org/events/ .

Southeast Texas Launches

  • Friday, May 9, 2025
  • 8  are Schools participating Friday at Smith Point
  • 24 expected rockets for testing on Friday.

  • Screenshot
  •  A Livestream for each launch will be provided and will be available at www.systemsgo.org/events as each launch date arrives. Friday’s is as follows:
  • Streaming Link May 9 SETX

The sites will be open to admittance for students and teachers only at 6:00 a.m. Projected start time for launches is between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. All is contingent on test vehicle readiness and ability to pass Stages 1 and 2. Mission Control will be ready for Stage 3 checks by 8:00 a.m.

More details will be available here each day. Reports featuring schedule links, school names, results, pictures, and 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 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 benefited.

Hope to see you at the launches!

#RideTheSkies #TexasRocketTrail #Rockets2025 #EyesToTheSkies

April 25, 2025, Rockets 2025 North Texas/Jacksboro Friday’s Final Launch Day Update

Friday, Day 2, the final day for North Texas Rockets 2025 launch series was mission complete by  this evening,  with all rockets launched by 6:57p.m. Twenty rockets from five different schools left the rails today. These schools included University HS, RL Turner HS, BCTAL, Buinger HS and one hold over from yesterday, from Hollenstein HS.

Weather for Friday was good with only partly cloudy for most of the day, but with a high ceiling. A threat of severe storms loomed in the area through the day, but never developed near the range.  

First launches blasted off shortly at 10:53 a.m. this morning.  After the first volley of three, the pad kept the rockets flying in a fairly continuous  set each time the rails were full .

Out of 20 rockets launched, only 6  were not recovered. Some flights were beautiful, and opened and came down under chute. Others went up and spiraled before blowing apart and landing scattered over the range. This made it a bit challenging for recovery teams to locate, but they did an amazing job. 

After Mission Complete the Team left the site to go find a decent dinner tonight at JR’s Chop House B & B  and the Butterfield Inn to crash for the night. Except me, I did not crash yet. I am still writing this article and will still post pictures to Facebook when I am done with this.

In the morning the crew will meat for breakfast at 7:00amat the Village Kitchen and then head back to the ranch to tear down the whole site and pack it away in the  cargo trailer for NTX until next year. After that we will all head home to prepare for the next sequence at the Central Texas/Stonewall launches this coming week,  May 1st through the 3rd. A contingency day is built into Sunday, May 4th if needed.

It has been a really long day, and traveling makes me tired so I best get my pictures posted so that I can get some much needed sleep as I am fighting staying awake to write this tonight. The rest of the SystemsGo team is alreay fast asleep. It is well deserved. They all worked really hard to make this a great event for the students and they will do it again soon, twice more.

Please also forgive me if there are any errors or editing faux pas in this article tonight. I have no one to preread or edit and my internal editor keeps falling asleep at the key board! I might have to fire her, or at the very least send her to bed soon!

Pictures are from today 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

North Texas was the second launch in the 2025 series, and is followed by launches in Central Texas/Stonewall and Southeast Texas/Smith Point. 

The launch dates, locations, and schools are always listed for your convenience at http://www.systemsgo.org/events/ .

A live feed for each launch will be provided and will be available at www.systemsgo.org as each launch date arrives.

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, #EyesontheSkies #ItisRocketscience #SystemsGoRocketTrail #TexasRocketTrail#Rockets2025 #EyesToTheSkies

 

 

April 24, 2025, Thursday, Opening Day of Rockets 2025 in North Texas

Rockets 2025 opened today at the North Texas launch site in Jack county. Four schools were slated to test a total of 21 vehicles. Of those, three were aborted, and one from Hollenstein High School was held over for tomorrow‘s launch due to late completion in Stage 3, but 17 were tested today here in North Texas.

It was a long day. Final launches just barely made the daylight thresh hold before the final mission complete was called for the day. Storms impeded progress early in the morning from 6:00 a.m. until around 8:30 a.m. and again after lunch from about 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Temperatures bewteen 60s during and right after the storms to 80s in the late afternoon. Light jackets were quickly discarded by late afternoon when rain was replaced with full sun with only spotty clouds.

Our three recovery had a good day recovering a substantial number from today and a few old ones from past years.

Tomorrow’s original schedule shows 4 schools and 19 rockets. One of Hollenstein’s rockets is returning tomorrow which ups the number to 20 for the day.

It was a good day in spite of short handedness in Mission Control. Randy was covering Fill and Fire, Data Entry and Recovery coordination. Later in the day Jaque came in from Stage 2 and helped with Fill and Fire. And early on Joyce helped cover data entry to upload to Josephine so stats could be seen on the Livestream.

Tomorrow, recovery will be down one team from today, but another is coming in to help.

Tomorrow’s weather predicts rain possible with a 20-35% chance around 11:00 a.m. This could present a problem with completing all the launches for tomorrow. Hopefully this will not be the case, and we will not have to run into our contingency day on Saturday.

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

Restrooms and wash stations are available at the launch site, provided by Mobile Thrones. Teachers, spectators and students are encouraged to bring pop up tents (10×10) for extra shelter during the day. Please remember sunscreen, chairs, umbrellas, food, extra snacks, and drinks for your group . Concessions are still provided by the Jacksboro Stomp organization.

Please be courteous and clean up after yourselves and the members of your group. Downtime entertainment for the students to engage in between launches may also be helpful. Rockets are subject to winds, weather and workmanship, all of which can stall a launch, and delay schedules.

The launch dates, locations, and schools are listed here for your convenience or can be found at http://www.systemsgo.org/events/ .

North Texas/Jack County:

If you are follow this program join us again tomorrow for Rockets 2025 Day 2 in Jacksboro.

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, #EyesontheSkies #ItisRocketscience #Rockets2025 #SystemsGoRocketTrail #TexasRocketTrail #EyesToTheSkies

Three Schools Tested At WSMR Saturday After Which The SystemsGo Rockets 2024 Season Called Mission Complete

Alamo Heights, Brazoswood and Union Grove tested rockets at White Sands Missile Range today.  WSMR had SystemsGo on a tight schedule this year. Concerns that in upcoming years when more schools join the program, time may become even more of a factor for the range, so they tested SystemsGo out on a very vigorous schedule. It meant that two rockets had to be loaded on the rails before we left the range yesterday on set up day. The third had to be ready to swap out as soon as the first two were tested.

We had an 8:00 a.m. slot for the first T-time. Range time began at 7:00 a.m. The team was wheels rolling at 5:00  a.m. The school were dropped off at Tula G along the way, where they watched the launches on live feed. The SystemsGo team arrived at ABC-1 at 6:05.

Alamo Heights was fueled and ready for launch at 7:30. The rail and fuel teams evac’d 5 miles out on the range to watch the launch from the road. Rebekah and George readied the rocket for fire and  evac’d to the “bell” (tiny metal launch bunker) and coordinated with WSMR for count down and launch.

Alamo Height’s rocket left the rail at 8:00a.m. right on schedule to start the day. It traveled an estimated few thousand feet up, then rolled over and returned to the range. WSMR had eyes on it immediately and went to recover. It was fully recovered. It had separated into nosecone, body and engine case, but it was mostly intact with only real damage where the engine casing had separated from the body.

The only picture after recovery I could get is the one shown below of Alamo’s burnt weld cap.

resized_resized_20240615_145650-1

Union Grove was on the second rail. It was fueled and ready by 8:50 a.m. The same evac process for the Team was followed and ignition was at exactly 9:00 a.m. which was aslo on schedule. Unfortunately, it ended in a hang fire. When we could return to the pad, it appeared that the ignition had burned through the injection wire and hoses, inspite of the kevlar braided sleave on the injection wire. Ice was still melting off the tank from residual nitrous. The rail was lowered and the rocket left in place to cool.

Brazoswood students were brought in from Tula G to load thier rocket on the first rail and take team pictures. Then they were escorted back to Tula G to await their launch and watch. SystemsGo team worked quickly to get everything connected and the rocket fueled to meet an 11:00 a.m. T-time for this vehicle to test. We were alotted a 2 hour window for this one since the rocket had to be brought up and loaded on the rail and all systems reconnected.

At 10:45 Brazoswood fueling was halted. Their vent was not working properly and therefore it resisted not further fueling. It was decided to launch with what we could had loaded. At 11:00 a.m. Brazoswood lifted off  the rail, banked a hard left and nosed dived into the range about 200 yards behind the pad. WSMR was also able to recover most of the vehicle. Later is was determined that the cameras were no longer on baord. Team members were allowed to follow WSMR personnel to the site to look for them but they were not found.

Brazoswood sent these after photos of the students trying to diagnose their rocket’s launch issues post recovery:

img_2592img_2588

As soon as WSMR determined the pad was again safe, they called for the SG team and schools to return to the site for tear down. We stopped for lunch at this time, and were back on the pad tearing down by 11:48 a.m. We had the entire site packed up by 1:30 p.m.

Rebekah did a presentation to the Union Grove team for their Oberth rocket during the spring season. They had made 1.05 Mach and fully recovered the vehicle intact under chute. Next she thanked Collin Lange, of Alamo Heights and Greg Park, of Union Grove for all their dedicated years of teaching the program. Both are retiring and this is their final launch as their program’s teachers. Last but never least she thanked all the WSMR personnel for all their hard work and support again this year and gave them caps, shirts and space pens.

When presentations were complete, all the teams took photos in front of the old resident tank, fascilitated by Chris, our WSMR Doc Photo. Then Mission was called complete and it was wheels rolling off the range at 2:03 p.m. We met the perameters WSMR set this year and all parties were satisfied.

On our journey back to the hotel we took a few small excursions. First we stoopped at Pistachio Land, home of the world’s largest pistachio, and shopped for a bit. Next we went to Caliche’s Frozen Custard and got ice creams for the whole team. When we finished there we took a driving toor back behind the park and by the old saw mill because Rebekah had spied a rocket from the highway. After an interesting tour around the sawmill on an old dirt road, we found the stortage yard for The Museum of Space History where we did indeed find several old rocket relics. If you follow me for the small rockets you know I have a Facebook page where I generally post pictures. I will post the link here and you can see what we found if you would like to see them:

https://www.facebook.com/ginger.burow

The SystemsGo team capped off the evening with dinner at Johnny Crinos’s Italian Restaurant and then called it a day.

 One quick side note, we did see one Oryx this year on our way in to the range this morning. He stood there watching us posing as he knew we couldn’t even take his picture.

Tomorrow will be a good breakfast at 6:00 a.m. and then on the road back to Texas!

WSMR concludes another successful year of launches that begain with Jal, NM, Jacksoboro, Anahuac/Smith Point , and Willow City. The group helped test 169 Tchaikovsky and Oberth rockets and 3 Goddard level rockets for the Rockets 2024 season.

Now the volunteer staff returns 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 2025. Next year’s season will begin again  with spring launches in Jal, New Mexico,  NTX-Jacksboro, SETX-Anahua/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 On 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.

#Rockets2024 #TexasRocketTrail #EyesonTheSkies #Ridetheskies #ItisRocketScience

Rockets 2024, Friday, Site Set Up Complete and Rockets on the Rail

A 5:00 a.m. call to move out for ABC-1 started the day for all SystemsGo team and schools. The mission, to accomplish all preparations for tomorrow’s launches. All personnel arrived at the site at 6:30 am and quickly began preparations.

George Burns and Ginger Burow set up the electronics trailer and the fill and fire system. Steve Burow set up the pad, rails and wiring for the launch rails. Students from the teams helped erect the rails before finishing work on their vehicles.

Rebekah Hyatt and Andrew Matthes coordinated all the final checks for each of the rockets, while Brazoswood students worked through their Flight Readiness Reviews. WSMR range personnel assisted the team.

For the third year, the now Texas A&M college students, Caleb Lengefeld, Kash Kneuper, and Taylor Long, volunteered to help on range again. They helped set up the pad, the rails, and load the gas tank truck. For launches tomorrow they will again assist as needed at the pad and help Andrew with the Nitrous and Gox bottles. All three said they were still really enjoying seeing the program in action, helping with it.

Schools Participating are Alamo Heights, Union Grove, and Brazoswood. Alamo Heights and Braopswood were fit with charges and loaded onto the rails for launch tomorrow morning. Union Grove will load the rail tomorrow as the third launch. They have been ready and waiting today.

Pop up showers passed over the site throughout the day, occasionally dropping just enough rain to settle the dust and keep the temps in the 80’s instead of yesterday’s 100+ degrees. Steve had complained about how bad the dust was driving in. We could not even see the cars in front and behind us. He was going to ask Dante if he could get the road watered down before tomorrow. Well Dante didn’t but the skies above complied for him.

Some minor mishaps slowed what would have otherwise been a great timeline for the day. The bolts were accidentally switched on the rails which slowed the progress of construction but it was something managable. The we had no power to the launch system. After searching out most of the system’s wiring we discovered it was just a lose main connector. The unfortunate part was that it literally took hours to diagnose and test. The wood bolts for the gas truck rack were also missing, but they were able to find some other hardware to use to get it mounted.

Inspite of the challenges, our caravan of vehicles plus WSMR personnel vehicles left the test site by 4:00 headed in for the evening. Food and showers were top priorities upon returning to the hotels.We all headed to Chilli’s for dinner at 6:00 and were there until almost 8:00. A few SystemsGo personnel went to Walmart again after dinner for a few more provisions.

Launch order for Saturday is as follows:

  • Alamo Heights
  • Brazoswood
  • Union Grove

Saturday’s schedule is the following:

  • Saturday, June 25th
    1. Launch Day – All three Rockets
    2. Depart for WSMR by 5:00 a.m. for 6:30 a.m. arrival on site.
    3. Projected launch schedule:
      • T1 8:00 am. -Alamo Heights
      • T2 10:00 am. – Brazoswood
      • T3 12:00 pm. -Union Grove
  • 4:00 pm. – Range Time Ends

SystemsGo now has two launch rails and both will be in operation tomorrow. A rocket will be loaded onto each rail and then tested in sequence with only time out for safety. The launch team will be required to evacuate during each launch; and then return to swap out gas and electrical connections between the rails.

Launches are to commence at 8:00 am. Saturday morning. All SystemsGo personnel and schools will be headed out to the range at 5:00 am.

After the first two launches, WSMR personnel will attempt to locate and retrieve the rockets for the students while the other rocket is loaded onto the rails. Mission complete will be at 4:00 pm. and all personnel must leave the range. If all three launch on time then everyone will be asked to help tear down and pack up equipment before leaving.

Realistically, this is a very tight launch sequence with little to no room for errors. As we know, errors can and do occasionally happen and can cause severe delays in the launch schedule and hinder time availability.

Best of luck to all schools so that they may have a successful launch tomorrow.

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.

#Rockets2024 #SystemsGo #RideTheSky #Texasrockettrail #WSMRRocketLaunch2024 #EyesOnThe Sky

2024 SystemsGo Rocket Launch Event Preparations for White Sands Missile Range

The SystemsGo team left Fredericksburg in two shifts, one at 5:30 a.m. and the second at 9:15 a.m. this morning headed to Alamogordo,, New Merxico for lodging for White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) rocket launches. Schools from Union Grove, Alamo Heights and Brazoswood also traveled to Alamogordo today to meet and begin preparations for launches this Saturday

The early crew, Rebekah Hyatt, George Burns and Andrew Matthes, set up in the parking lot of the Quality Inn and Suites to preform pressure and FRR checks for Union Grove Thursday afternoon .

Alamo Heights did their pressure test and FRR on Wednesday, but the pressure test will be redone at WSMR for safety.

Steve, Ginger, Caleb and Cash arrived in Alamogordo at 6:00 p.m. Taylor drove in to New Mexico from California, arriving in Alamogordo slightly before us. We all reported driving through pretty serious dust storms on the way here.

As soon as we arrived everyone piled in the van and the SystemsGo team went to La Hacienda for dinner. The tea was good, the service was excellent, as was the salsa. The food was ok. Unfortunately our favorite Mexican place, Margos has permanently closed down, and C J’s Si Senore was packed and close to closing. After dinner our van load went to Wal-Mart for provisions for on the range the next two days.

Portable restrooms are available at the site. Limited electricity is available. Each school is responsible for acquiring food and drinks for their group for all meals and snacks each day. WSMR is not supplying any food this year.

All documentation was completed and turned in to Rebekah Hyatt, Thursday evening upon arrival.

  • UXO, Wildlife, and Driving in WSMR briefing registry
  • WSMR waiver
  • SystemsGo waiver
  • Medical Release Forms

Be prepared to show ID’s at the security check at the gate in the morning.

There are three schools scheduled to launch three rockets. These include:

  • Alamo Heights
  • Brazoswood
  • Union Grove

The current launch schedule is as follows:

  • Friday, June 14th
    1. Depart for site from hotel by 5:00 a.m.
    2. Meet at Tula Gate for Security Checks at 5:45 a.m.
    3. Alamo Heights and Union Grove will be in our caravan from the hotel. Brazoswood will meet us enroute to the Tula Gate.
    4. Travel to ABC-1 at 6:00 a.m.
    5. Site Set up at ABC-1 upon arrival.
    6. Complete all rockets.
    7. 4:00 p.m. Leave the site with Alamo Heights and Brazoswood on the rails and Union Grove completed and ready to load the rail.
  • Saturday, June 15th
  • Launch Day – Three Rockets
  • Depart from Hotel by 5:00 a.m. for 5:45 a.m. arrival at Tula Gate for Security checks.
  • Depart Gate to ABC-1 6:00 a.m.
  • Projected launch schedule:
    • T1 8:00 a.m. – Alamo Heights
    • T2 9:00 a.m. – Brazoswood
    • T3 11:00 a.m – Union Grove
    • All rockets launched by 2:00 p.m.
    • Break for Lunch as each team has time.
    • Pack up site.
    • Range Time Ends – 4:00 p.m.
  • Sunday, June 25th
  • Travel Day/Contingency Day/Cleanup/Fun Day (To be determined.)
  • Monday, June 26th
  • Travel Day only if needed. Hopefully we are already home Mission Complete.

The Goddard level rockets, which are the capstones of the SystemsGo program and the culmination of all the skills the students have learned throughout their years in the STEM program. This marks the final senior project for the schools that participate in for the SystemsGo program.

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 benefited.

#Rockets2024 #SystemsGo #Launcher01 #RideTheSky #Texasrockettrail #EyesOnTheSky #TexasToNewMexicoRocketTrail #RideTheSky2024

White Sands Missile Range SystemsGo Rocket Program 2024

White Sands Missile Range is once again hosting the SystemsGo Rocket Program again for its season end launches. This year three schools will be traveling to New Mexico to test their rockets at White Sands Missile Range, they include: Alamo Heights HS, Brazoswood HS, and Union Grove HS.

June 14th through June 16th are the dates for this year’s WSMR launch.  The SystemsGo team and schools will be traveling to Alamogordo, New Mexico for lodging on June 13th. Early on the 14th, preparations at the site will be made with the goal of launching all three rockets Saturday.  The 16th, Sunday, is our contingency day, but the hope is that it will not be needed. Sunday is Father’s Day and WSMR personnel would prefer not to work and we would love to be on the road home.

We continue to launch from range ABC1. This range required the altitude cap for the rockets to be adjusted from the original height cap which was 100,000 feet. The current cap instituted three years ago is 50,000 feet. ABC-1 does not have a large bunker, so only essential launch personnel stay on site, and the SG staff evacuate out five miles for launches. Students and teachers are taken to a secure location known as Tula G, which is further down range where they watch the launches on screen inside a designated facility.

There will be tents on the range, the same as last year. Rockets need to be complete by the end of the day on Friday.

The T-1schedule on Saturday will be very tight. Range time begins at 7:00 am and ends at 4:00 pm. The range is Hot all day for us, which translates to as soon as we can reset and be ready to launch again, WSMR is ready to assist. This should make keeping the schedule and sending all three rockets skyward a viable task for Saturday.

If Mission is Complete on Saturday evening, then evening activities may include some White Sands National Park dune sledding.

SystemsGo team members will be residing at the Quality Inn and Suites in Alamogordo this year.

There are three schools scheduled to launch their rockets. These include:

  • Alamo Heights
  • Brazoswood
  • Union Grove

The current launch schedule is as follows:

  • Thursday, June 13th
    1. Travel Day
    2. Pressure Checks and FRRs that evening at the hotels.
    3. Security checks of all Form 5000s
  • Friday, June 14th
    1. Site Set up ABC-1 7:00
    2. Depart for site from hotel–TBA
    3. Complete all rockets.
    4. 3:00 p.m. Leave the site with Alamo Heights and Brazoswood on the rails.
  • Saturday, June 15th
    1. Launch Day (Three Rockets, barring any schedule changes by WSMR.)
    2. Depart from hotel for arrival on site–TBA
    3. Projected launch schedule:
      • T1 8:00 a.m.
      • T2 9:00 a.m.
      • T3 11:00 a.m.
  • Airspace Ends – 4:00 p.m.
  • Pack site
  • Evening Activities as time allows.
  • Sunday, June 16th
    1. Travel Day-Contingency Day only if absolutely needed. WSMR does not want to work on Father’s Day.
  • Monday, June 17th
    1. Travel Day-Hopefully we are already home.

The Goddard level rockets, which are the capstones of the SystemsGo program and the culmination of all the skills the students have learned throughout their years in the STEM program. This marks the final senior project for the schools that participate in for the SystemsGo program.

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 benefited.

#Rockets2024 #SystemsGo #Launcher01 #RideTheSky #Texasrockettrail #EyesOnTheSkies #TexasToNewMexicoRocketTrail #RideTheSky2024

The Texas Rocket Trail 2024 Started in Southeast Texas/Smith Point Today, Friday, May 10

Friday marked the beginning  of the last leg of the Texas Rocket Trail for Rockets 2024, and the first day of launches in Smith Point. Luckily, we had good weather for testing today, unlike last weekend in Central Texas . The original schedule listed 20 rockets for testing, but by day’s end 18 were tested and three of those took two attempts before successfully leaving the rail.

 In all it was a good day of steady launches. Of the 18 launched today, only 9 were recovered. Of those unrecovered, several were ballistic re-entries some only marked by sound no sight, one sunk in the bay, and a another landed in a gator nest. Some may yet be recovered as time allows tomorrow, but often ballistic landings are hard to locate unless their is a direct line of sight, which none of these had.

The Pad had a great day with a fairly steady stream of launches, and a lot of good help. Returning alumni, Austin Hodges from Anahuac, now active Navy, and Chelsea Burow Chadwick, from Fredericksburg, residing in Hewitt and working as a test technician for SpaceX were leads on the Pad. Both seemed to really enjoy their return to SystemsGo launches and helping train new recruits.

ALFASAR was unable to participate in recovery this year, but between new recruits Dusty and Jessica brought in and some 18 year olds Coach Moore recruited 6 teams were established. A gentleman volunteer from JPL (Jet Prorulsion Labs) manned the recovery coordination and mapping to help the teams locate rockets.

The last volley of launches was a little later than the team  had hoped for, starting around 7:00 p.m. The teams left the site at 7:41p.m. headed for the Crawfish Hideaway for dinner. It was packed but we had called ahead and they accommodated the group.

A few of us skippped out of dinner in lue of a shower. Mosquitos were horrible today and we had been bathing in OFF all day and wanted to remove the bug spray.

Tommorrow, Saturday, May 11, boasted another 19 rockets. Abu Dhabi is slated for testing again tomorrow. Last year they had a beautiful flight, but it nosed dived in a ballistic fashion into the pond to the right of Mission Control. They were originally on Friday’s roster but moved to Saturday. This year they have two rockets.

Pictures from the above-mentioned events, and rockets as well as 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/SystemsGoNews

https://www.facebook.com/ginger.burow

Festivities continue with launches resuming tomorrow, Saturday.

Restrooms and wash stations will be provided at the launch site. Spectators are welcomed this year. Teachers are asked to bring pop-up tents for themselves and their students. Please remember sunscreen, chairs, umbrellas, extra snacks, drinks, and food. Downtime entertainment for the students to engage in between launches may also be helpful.

The look on your students’ faces when their vehicle goes up and then is recovered is priceless. If they know you are watching and supporting them, then it is even more memorable. If you are not on site, then shoot them a text, letting them know you are watching online.

The Southeast Texas/Smith Point launch date begins Friday. Livestream links and schools are also listed here for your convenience or can be found at http://www.systemsgo.org/events/ .

Southeast Texas Launches

  • Saturday, May 11, 2024
  • 5 are Schools participating Friday at Smith Point
  • 17 expected rockets for testing on Friday.
Saturday, May 11, 2024
School Name / Teacher 1/1 Trans
Anahuac HS                         Kirk Moore 1 1
Hargrave                        Karen Brasher-Hinds 2
Summer Creek            Melissa Young 2 1
North Shore                  Brian King 3 3
Ball HS                          Laurent Langevine 4
American Community School  Kevin Collins 2
Schools Launching                               6
Totals 14 5
Total Rockets 17
  • A Livestream for each launch will be provided and will be available at www.systemsgo.org/events as each launch date arrives. Friday’s is as follows:
  • Streaming Link May 11 SETX
  • The sites will be open to admittance for students and teachers only at 6:00 a.m. Projected start time for launches is between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. All is contingent on test vehicle readiness and ability to pass Stages 1 and 2. Mission Control will be ready for Stage 3 checks by 8:00 a.m.

More details will be available here each day. Reports featuring schedule links, school names, results, pictures, and 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 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