Tag: Livestream

Rockets 2016 Only a Day Away!

The start of Rockets 2016  is just over the horizon, so  now is the time to send out some reminders. The Fredericksburg launches will be held at Stewart’s Hillview Ranch in Willow City Texas. Launch days begin Thursday, May 12, continuing on Friday, May 13, Saturday, May 14 and ending on Sunday evening, May 15.

Launch times are slated to be from 8:30 to 5:00 each day provided that everything runs accordingly with weather, arrivals, and mechanical readiness. Unfortunately weather could be an issue. Right now thunderstorms are predicted for Thursday and Sunday. Of course, it is Texas weather so anything goes, and so will the rockets at each opportunity Mother Nature provides. Rain does not stop this event, only delays it until the clouds give another clear opening. That does not account for severe weather conditions that would have to be dealt with as they happen for the safety of all.

Both sites are located north of Fredericksburg off Farm to Market road 1323. Site 1 for Exhibitors and Rocket Prep is located in Willow City at the Willow City Volunteer Fire Department, located at 2553 Ranch Road 1323 . Site 2, the vehicle Launch Site is located at Hillview Ranch. Signs will be stationed along the route to direct from State Highway 16 to the individual sites.  The following is a map provided by SystemsGo website for driving directions and site locations.LaunchMap

SystemsGo offers live streaming of this event provided by Livestream.com . The following link offers the site location for this feed. It will be active by 9:00 a.m. on Thursday morning for viewing and comments. This link can also be found on the SystemsGo website.

http://livestream.com/accounts/3165037/events/5367166

Although there is no charge for the event, and these launches are open to public viewing, parking and seating is limited due to safety requirements. For this reason, SystemsGo has a provided a link for you to pre-order tickets for those in your party. This also provides SystemsGo with a way to monitor the number of people in attendance each year. This is in no way meant to discourage your attendance, but is instead to help them provide a great experience for students and spectators, while doing all possible to monitor safety issues and attendance numbers  at any one time during the launches.

https://www.greateventseats.com/events.php?lID=92

More event details will be available here in upcoming days as events get closer. Daily reports featuring schedules, school names, results, pictures and some editorial content will be posted during the 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.

Day 19-Keeping Rockets Live

Three people devote their time out at these launches, to keeping Rockets live. They even have a trailer out there that houses a broadcasting “mission control” to ensure that all live streaming and uplinks stay active.

Zack Pooser is the main force behind allowing internet communications to go out on live streaming to everyone with a desire to watch that cannot be there. His broadcasting control trailer keeps the launch site connected.

Phil Houseal provides daily interviews with staff, students, visitors, Embry Riddle University reps, and volunteers, giving short insights to those watching as to how this program works, who is involved in it and why. He catches the stories behind the scenes that might not otherwise be heard or told about each type of experience and involvement for those in the program in one way or another.

Joyce Bk Abbey is the voice of rockets. She is the voice everyone hears commanding the attention of spectators before, during and after each launch, whether on site or watching on Livestream. She engages the students as they wait and watch for their vehicle to lift off and be recovered.

This crew of individuals is responsible for keeping rockets open for all to see during these launch weekends. They do a wonderful job of sharing this experience with everyone. They are rockets’ broadcasting extraordinaire.

Thank you all for all your hard work. 

www.systemsgo.org as always is the place for more information on this program. Take the time to get your school involved, the future of your students will be greatly benefited.

 

Day 4- Houston Rockets Day 2, and Mother’s Day

First let me begin by wishing all you Moms out there a Happy Mother’s Day! I sincerely hope it was a great one for you. I know this wasn’t the ideal mother’s day for my mom, being in rehab for her knee, but at least it will all be done soon and she will be up and going again. My son and I did spend a couple of hours there with her after church today. We had a nice visit. Later I made him go with me to see the movie, Age of Adeline, and then to Wal-Mart shopping. His sister, Kasey, called me right after the movie and found much humor in that I had drug him to a chick flick. I treated him to Whataburger after though.

Houston launches ended around 8:00 pm this evening. It was a successful weekend with only a few transonic not making it to the pad. I watched the launches on Livestream for several hours this afternoon. I saw about 7 go up, before the live feed ended for the day. It was fun to watch, albeit not nearly as fun as it is to be there in person. The live feed only showed the rockets leaving the pad, but didn’t follow them in flight so a little is lost there in the fun and excitement of the activity.

It was amusing to watch the live feed go from the pad to the schools watching the flights. Each time, the students were all there with the camera phones videoing, and they all moved in unison upward following their vehicle into the sky. Next after it landed, they would share high fives with each other, and often with Mr. Brett Williams, the SystemsGo Coordinator. Whether in person or on the stream, they thrill on the students’ faces is still the same.

Congratulations to all the schools and their students that participated this weekend. You have all done a marvelous job, and even if you don’t realize it you are in a category ahead of your  peers in your learning skills. Take it all with you and you will go far.

Congratulations to the whole SystemsGo team, you have one launch set completed for this season. You all be careful on your return trip tonight, I know you are all tired and it’s a long road home. The team finally got on the road after packing up the site, at about 10:20 this evening, which will put them back here somewhere around 2:30 to 3:30 in the morning. God bless you all, safe travels, and I will be praying for you all.

www.systemsgo.org as always is the place for more information on this program. Take the time to get your school involved, the future of your students will be greatly benefited.