Today, Friday was the first day of Houston rocket launches. Five schools tested a total of 21 rockets today. The weather was sunny/partly cloudy and windy.
The first launch of the day, was Rocket #85 from Brazosport High School. The vehicle left the rail nicely but soon went into a spiral and came down. The upside is that is was fully recovered so they will be able to analyze their data and determine what happened. Students commented after the launch that they were happy that it did leave the rail. Congratulations Brazosport on your launch and recovery!
The second launch of the day, was by the Aeronautics and Rocket Club of the University of Texas at San Antonio. This is an actual club, not a class at UTSA that students join on their own. The utilize their own time in order to research, develop, draft, design, build, and fund their rocket. The students are all class levels. Today’s Rocket # 87 is a Transonic rocket predicted to surpass at least the first sound barrier. They have a double payload including a video device inside the rocket attached to the altimeter to video activity inside the vehicle during flight, and a GoPro camera mounted to record the flight from the outside as it is traveling. Ironically, the student in the interview said this was to back up the Live feed because sometimes it goes out, at which time it did go out, and I missed the rest of the interview! They had a very impressive launch, unfortunately it flew so well, that it is as of yet unrecovered.
Alpha Search and Rescue is there again this year, heading up the recovery efforts. Erin spoke with Phil and explained how their system works with a real-time mapping, GPS, and azimuth to locate the rockets after launch. Their mapping system allows viewers to follow the progress of the rockets, and know if their vehicle has been recovered and where it was found, or if it is still being actively searched for, or determined to be unrecoverable.
The link for that mapping system is shown on SystemsGo‘s website and listed here. You will be able to follow the progress of the recovery throughout the weekend on it. https://bit.ly/2FRSjVx
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is also available on site again this weekend. Take the time to visit with their rep about the opportunities available for your students.
Well unfortunately I lost my feed after 1700, but according to the search and rescue map all 21 were launched and all but 3 were recovered. That does not mean each was a perfect launch, but then that is why they are considered test vehicles, and in spite of that they are all considered successful because of the students’ accomplishments in getting them here today to test. All in all it was a good day with fabulous weather, and a great location with good results. And they get to do it all over again Saturday.
Launches will continue all day Saturday, and Sunday. Saturday’s schedule, posted below, and with a link to it online, boasts six schools and 24 rockets.
The current launch schedule for Friday is shown below and may also be downloaded from SystemsGo website at the following address: http://www.systemsgo.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/2018-Houston-Flight-Schedule-4-17-18.pdf
| Saturday, May 12, 2018 | ||
| School Name / Teacher | 1/1 | Trans |
| Brazoswood HS Dale Hobbs |
3 | |
| Channelview HS Alan Stone |
3 | |
| Hardin-Jefferson HS Mike Fogo |
2 | 1 |
| Liberty HS Matthew Williams |
1 | 1 |
| Northstar HS Byron Appelt |
1 | 2 |
| SF Austin HS Richard Hubbard |
10 | |
| Schools Launching 6 | ||
| Totals | 20 | 4 |
| Total Rockets | 24 | |
Please remember that since there is public access to this event, there are registration tickets for order and those may be found on the SystemsGo website as well at this link: https://www.greateventseats.com/SystemsGo . They are FREE, but REQUIRED. There is a waiver for admission you will sign along with your admittance ticket. You can get them at the gate but it is strongly advised to do this online ahead of time so that you do not slow yourself or anyone else down getting onto the range. This could cause you and others to miss your intended launches.
I will post each days schedules in this blog. They can also be found in original format on the SystemsGo website Events page.
More event details will be available here after the completion of Friday’s event.
Pictures will be available here in this blog and in Facebook albums for you to view at the end of each days launches, as well as during the day from Phil and SystemsGo on Facebook as well. Links to both our Facebook pages are below.
https://www.facebook.com/ginger.burow
Unfortunately I only got a few screen grabs, and only one photo from a team member but I will post what I have.
https://www.facebook.com/SystemsGoEducation/
If you follow this program and like to view the launches, Rockets 2018 will have Livestream available at the Smith Point launches so you will be able to view them online at the following address: https://livestream.com/systemsgo.
If you have been to the Houston area launches in the past you may want to check out the SystemsGo website for information because this location is only in its second year for that area. Information and a map link are available.
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.
Hope to see you at the races, nope, but I will race you for a rocket! #RideTheSky! #Launcher01 #ItISrocketScience #Rockets2018
I would like to wish all the schools and students a picture perfect flight and recovery.
You just never know who you will find in this rocket science business. Thank you for the musical treat Ian.
Here is Ian’s team cheering their launch.
These were provided by pad team member, Chelsea Burow. Seen here with the Sunday Pad Team.
He consults with some of the schools in the area on their rockets and STEM programs. In the interview today, he remembered coming to Fredericksburg in the early days of these launches to consult with Brett Williams, program founder, on safety and logistics. It was a genuinely interesting interview as he recounted all his work history through the years with the space program, all the way to where he is now retired and helping young high school students learn.
Sorry about that Christy, maybe you can say you were practicing for the upcoming Pirates movie. “Arrgh!”
On the Wings of Angels 