Tag: Technology

Rockets 2026, Thursday, Site Set Up

The SystemsGo team, or the four of us that got up in time, went to Denny’s for a very quick breakfast this morning. At first we weren’t sure we would get served in time, but the staff and cook worked swiftly to accomodate our schedule and we were out the door and in our cars ready to roll.

At 0530 the group headed to the Tula gate for security and ID checks, and then on to ABC-1 as we enjoyed a phenominal mountain sunrise full of color. Today’s mission, accomplish all preparations for tomorrow’s launches. All personnel arrived at the site at 0648 where we quickly began preparations for launches and final FRR checks. We had until 1630 to accomplish as much of the setup as possible. And the pad crew rocked. We had both rails up, test and rockets loaded by that time.

Ginger Burow set up the electronics trailer and the fill and fire system. It was all ready for testing by 1130. George handled the end at the “bell”. Later he went through the testing phase of the electronics for both rails, again handling the end at the bell while Cate and I did testing of equipment and wires at the launch trailers. We only had one minor snag with a bad injection wire which we built a new one and corrected the issue.

After George, Cate and I completed the testing we built load cells for the schools so they would be ready for launches tomorrow. Cate really enjoyed this part. She works on the electronics and wiring on her rocket at Hamilton and finds it interesting.

Steve Burow set up the pad, constructed the rails and helped hook up the “gas” truck. Students from the teams helped erect the rails and roll out the cables before finishing work on their vehicles.

Rebekah Hyatt, Andrew Matthes and Kash Kneuper coordinated all the final checks for each of the rockets, while all the students worked through their final check of the Flight Readiness Reviews.

For the fifth year, now college student from Hamilton, Kash Kneuper, returned along with second year Hamilton high school student returnee, Cate Hooper to volunteer on range again.

Schools Participating this year are Alamo Heights, Union Grove, Anahuac/Hardin Jefferson,Fredericksburg and Brazoswood.

Anahuac/Hardin Jefferson and Union Grove were to slated to be our first two launches tomorrow morning, but both have been fightinog pressure leaks. This lead to them having to shift further down the launch sequence. And unfortunately, by the end of the day, Union Grove after failing their pressure tests multiple times, decided to abort their launch. They will be going to Cloudcroft for cooler temperatures abd some sight seeing.

Anahuac/Hardin Jefferson is still working on theirs. They have a leak in a connector between a valve and the injections system, similarly to what they had on last year’s rocket. Hopefully they will be able to come to a solution for it this year.

Due to Union Grove aborting and Anahuac not being complete yet, the schedule shifted and Alamo Heights and Brazoswood’s 2026 rockets were loaded on the rail this evening and will be tomorrow’s first and second launches respectively.

Heat was a big factor on the range today. Our vehicle registered 116 and one of the WSMR guys pointed a temp reader at the ground and it read 140 degrees. This explains how no amount of water seemed to quench the dry in your throat. By the end of the day, we were all beat and ready for AC, food and cold beverages.

After the rockets were loaded on the rails we all went up top and Rebekah awarded R L Turner student, Anish Vishwamitra, a volunteer on the range this year, the Brett Williams Scholarsip for $3000. I believe the young man was quite surprised and pleased.

Our crew stuck to our tight schedule today and our caravan of vehicles plus WSMR personnel vehicles left the test site by 1700 headed in for the evening. Food and showers were top priorities upon returning to the hotels. They all headed to ApplebeeChili’s for dinner at 0645ish and were there until almost 8:00.

Steve and I were both very tired. He went to town to get gas, ice and some parts for out on the pad. I showered and started working on this article. I had a blaring head ache and wasn’t up to walking to Chili’s so George brought food back for me. Steve went to Poppeye’s and got him some food.

All in all it was a great day on the range today, and everything went quite well for SystemsGo. Setup was accomplished in a very timely manner and although it was not the original two rockets, there were still two loaded on the rails ready for tomorrow’s launches.

Launch order for this weekend’s launches has become fluid since several were not ready. At this point it will be whomever is ready next.

Friday’s and Saturday’s schedule is listed below:

  • Friday, June 12th
  • 1st Launch Day Two Rockets
  • 0500 Depart from Hotel
  • 0530 arrival at Tula Gate for Security checks/Proceed to ABC-1
  • 0600 SystemsGo Set ups at ABC-1/FRRs.
  • 0800 Rocket T #1 – Alamo Heights
  • 0900 Load Rocket #3 onto launch rail
  • 1000 Rocket T #2 – Brazoswood 2026
  • 1100 Rocket T #3 – ??????
  • 1500 Load rockets #4 and #5 on rails ( and Brazoswood)
  • 1600 Complete All

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 0800 Saturday morning. All SystemsGo personnel and schools will be headed out to the range at 0500.

After these three launches, WSMR personnel will attempt to locate and retrieve the rockets for the students while the next two rockets are loaded onto the rails, ready for Saturday’s launch schedule. Mission complete will be at 1600 tomorrow and all personnel must leave the range.

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 information each day as to how the schedule and other event details went for that day and how launches transpired. Pictures are not allowed on the range, so very few will be available. If anything is available I will post it for your viewing pleasure. Tomorrow should wrap up our launches for t his year.

If we are lucky and things go perfect and we leave the range early their may be dune sledding in tomorrow evening’s future. And Sunday we will all be heading home.

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 #SystemsGo #RideTheSky #Texasrockettrail #WSMRRocketLaunch2026 #EyesOnTheSky #EyesToTheSkies #ItIsRocketScience

2026 SystemsGo Rocket Launch Travel to White Sands Missile Range – Wednesday

The SystemsGo team left Fredericksburg in two shifts, one at 0730 and the second at 0850 this morning headed to Alamogordo, New Merxico where we lodge for White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) rocket launches. Schools from Union Grove, Alamo Heights, Brazoswood, Fredericksburg and Anahuac/Hardin Jefferson also traveled to Alamogordo today to meet and begin preparations for launches this Friday and Saturday.

The early crew, Rebekah Hyatt and George Burns set up in the parking lot of the Sure Stay Plus Best Western to preform pressure and FRR checks for Union Grove Wednesday afternoon.

All schools will repeat these checks and tests on site tomorrow to ensure nothing has rattled lose in transit.

Steve, Ginger, Cash, and Cate, arrived in Alamogordo at 2015. Arriving at Applebees just in time for dinner as Rebekaha and George were headed back to the hotel to check on Union Grove’s progress, and then head to Walmart for provisions for the SystemsGo team for the next few days on range.

And yes, you read that right. We left at 0815 this morning and arrived at 2015 this evening. We had a great rental van from Herc this year. It looked like a wine tour van, so we felt right at home. The first part of the trip went well, but at the first fill up in Fort Stockton, we noticed that the van was getting hot as we traveled. Steve bought anti-freeze and topped off the reservoir hoping this would fix the problem. He also noticed that the cap for the reservoir was broken and not sealing well. We got back on the road and along the way noticed it was getting hot again and that the AC wasn’t responding well either. We made it to Fabens and pulled over to fill the tank and check on the reservoir. Steve refused to turn it off as he was afraid it would not start again. Unfortunately that didn’t work. He topped the tank and pulled to the side to top the reservoir, which he filled but they couldn’t get the vehicle to cool down and then it stopped running all together. And the full reservoir quickly emptied itself.

At this point we called Rebekah and George for help and Herc was dispatched to us with a four door pickup truck, and a 3″ hitch recepticle and we had a 2″ hitch. The pin for the hitch also didn’t fit, and we discovered that the trailer plug had come out and the plug pulled off and was lost. Now after waiting in the heat at the little Speedway station where we broke down for two hours before getting a replacement vehicle, we waited a little while longer while Steve took the pickup to O’Reiley’s for the parts to get us on the road again.

The pickup ran well and the AC worked well too, as long as the truck kept running. When we stopped in line at the border check station we had to roll the windows down to get a breeze as the AC stopped blowing cold when we were not in motion, and the smell of cigarettes and dogs was stifling. To say the least it was a long eventful day. But we made it. We were all glad to see Alamogordo, New Mexico.

We heard when we got here that the Anahuac group had a flat tire on the way, so it must have just been the day for traveling mayhem. We all arrived in one piece and unscathed so for that we can all count our blessings.

Andrew Matthis brought the Fredericksburg rocket class this year with a rocket to launch so they traveled in FISD vehicles.

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.

All documentation was completed online this year or here at the hotel and turned in to Rebekah Hyatt. However having your hard copies with you is requested.

  • 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 five schools scheduled to launch six rockets. These include:

  • Union Gove
  • Brazoswood
  • Anahuac/Hardin Jefferson
  • Alamo Heights
  • Fredericksburg

The current launch schedule is as follows:

  • Thursday, June 11th
  • 0530 Depart from hotel.
  • 0600 Meet at Tula Gate for Security Checks/proceed to ABC-1 for SystemsGo set ups.
    • Alamo Heights, Union Grove, Fredericksburg and Anahuac will be in our caravan from the hotel. Brazoswood will meet us enroute to the Tula Gate.
  • 0700 SystemsGo Set ups at ABC-1/FRRs.
  • 1500 Load rocker #1 and #2 on launch rails (Anahuac/Hardin Jefferson and Union Grove.)
  • 1630 Complete All.
  • Friday, June 12th
  • 1st Launch Day Two Rockets
  • 0500 Depart from Hotel
  • 0530 arrival at Tula Gate for Security checks/Proceed to ABC-1
  • 0600 SystemsGo Set ups at ABC-1/FRRs.
  • 0800 Rocket T #1 – Anahuac/Hardin Jefferson
  • 0900 Load Rocket #3 onto launch rail
  • 1000 Rocket T #2 – Union Grove
  • 1100 Rocket T #3 – Fredericksburg
  • 1500 Load rockets #4 and #5 on rails (Alamo Heights and Brazoswood)
  • 1600 Complete All

  • Saturday, June 13th
  • 0500 Depart from Hotel
  • 0530 arrival at Tula Gate for Security checks/Proceed to ABC-1
  • 0800 T #4 – Alamo Heights
  • 1000 T #5 – Brazoswood
  • 1200 T #6 – 2026 recycle or 2025 Brazoswood
  • 1400 Spare T-Time (In case 1100 T doesn’t work on 6/12)
  • 1600 Complete All – Site is packed/loaded and headed out

  • Sunday, June 14th
  • Travel Day

Well that’s the story for today. It’s late and I am done. Catch you on the flip side tomorrow evening after launches. Hopefully we will have some super exciting rocket news to share that will thrill your senses more than broke down vans, overheated AC’s and flat tires. And so with that I say, “Good Night!”

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.

#Rockets2026 #SystemsGo #Launcher01 #RideTheSky #Texasrockettrail #EyesOnTheSky #TexasToNewMexicoRocketTrail #RideTheSky2026 #EyeToTheSkies

WSMR Rockets 2026, Friday Launch Excitement

A 0500 call to move out for ABC-1 started the day for all SystemsGo team and schools. The original mission, to launch 3 rockets and load 2 more on the rails and be Mission Complete and off range by 1600. Our scheduled T-Times were 0800, 1000, and 1100.

All personnel arrived at the gate at 0545 for security and ID checks. Then SystemsGo Team including the gas truck crew were pulled ahead and escorted to ABC-1 to begin launch sequence preparations. We arrived around 0620 and quickly began preparations.

George Burns, Ginger Burow and Rebekah set up the electronics trailer, fill and fire system, and tested each rail. 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.

Andrew Matthes coordinated the gas fill crew at the pad. This actually left his team working diligently by themselves at Tula G to complete their final pressure test issues. It also took Kash from the gas crew to facilitate those pressure tests for Fredericksburg and Anahuac/Hardin Jefferson.

Schools Participating this weekend were Alamo Heights, Anahuac/Hardin Jefferson, Brazoswood, Union Grove (aborted yesterday due to repeated failed pressure tests) and Fredericksburg. Alamo Heights and Brazoswood’s 2026 were fit with charges and loaded onto the rails ready for launch yesterday evening.

Alamo Heights was the first launch of the day. It left the rail at approximately 0830, only about 30 minutes behind our projected T-Time of 0800. It was slow off the rail, burning as it went and then hovered slightly above the rail for about 20 seconds before hopping the nose cone, and then lifting away, doing end to end loops and belly flopping into the range about 200+/- yards south of the rail.  EOD came in quickly and recovered it. Doc Photo took a picture of the nose cone lying by the rail.

After EOD cleared the area, the teams came in and Brazoswood loaded it’s 2025 rocket onto the first rail Alamo Heights has just left. After it was ready for launch, Steve took Kash to Tula G to help check pressure on Fredericksburg and Anahuac/Hardin Jefferson’s rockets.

Brazoswood 2026 left the rail around 1050, slightly ahead of its projected T-Time. We had a slight delay turning on the altimeter because the indicator sounds could not be heard, but the students determined that it should be fine. It lifted off the rail quickly and sailed into the sky with a beautiful flight. It reached an altitude of 20,000 feet . It was supposed to have a computer system tracking telemetry, but the students reported that the system had gone down. This one was also found by EOD today but had significant damage from nosing into the range.

Brazoswood 2025 was the third and final launch for the day. At 1250 it flew straight, true and high reaching 41,000 feet. It came down under chute. Unfortunately, it had not bee found by the time we completed our mission time and left the range. It was an awesome flight though.

After the completion of Brazoswood’s 2025 launch everyone was called back to ABC-1. While they were in transit, Rebekah and George shut down the pad for the day. The gas crew came back in, and we all ate lunch while we waited for the rest of the schools to return.

Brazoswood and Alamo Heights loaded up the remains of their rockets. It was decided to drop Fredericksburg in its trailer at the site ready to load charges in the morning for launch tomorrow. It was also decided that Anahuac/Hardin Jefferson would abort mission as the leaks it had could not be fixed in time to launch tomorrow.

Rebekah and George spoke to the schools before we moved out since only Fredericksburg would be returning tomorrow.

 Temperature on the range only made it to 107 degrees today. Ten degrees cooler than yesterday.

A line of showers popped up just northwest of the range at the end of the day. We left the range by 1505 headed back to Alamogordo. The storm was right over Alamogordo when we got there. After it was over a pretty heavy windstorm moved in.  

The team rested for a bit and then walked over Johnny Carinos’s for dinner. We had a real nice time. We talked about rockets, had great food and dessert. Everyone turned in afterwards.

Fredericksburg is the only rocket left to launch tomorrow. We should be packed up early afterwards. At this point I am leaving the schedule showing the extra two T-times, but we should not need them.

After the completion of Alamo Height’s launch. Eveyone returned to ABC-1 and Brazoswood were loaded onto the rails for tomorrow’s launches. Brazoswood will eihter load their 2026 and 2025 recyle onto the rails for the last two T-Times.

Along with all the regular excitement of launching rockets, today was an extra special day for me. I was asked to stay on pad and help the SystemsGo directors do the actual launching of the rockets. I walked through the launch sequence steps with George and then evacuated to the bell with him and Rebekah.

On the first rocket, I was asked to man the MSS switch for the launch. It requires that you hold it down for the last 20 seconds of the count down and until your hear the rocket actually lift off the rail.

For the second launch, I was allowed to actually flip all the switches that launch the rocket. They have to be done in sequence at different intervals during the countdown. First opening the safety covers and setting the system to fire at 30 seconds, then activating the oxygen switch at 10 seconds and both the ignition and injection switches at “0”. Both of these were nerve racking, exciting and fun.

On the last rocket Rebekah and George manned the MSS and Fire sequences. I got to stand inside the back of the bell and hold a mirror around the corner in order to watch the rocket go up. That was really cool. It was an amazing day. I am looking forward to tomorrow.

Good luck tomorrow Fredericksburg!

Saturday’s schedule is the following:

  1. Saturday, June 13th
  2. 0500 Depart from Hotel
  3. 0530 arrival at Tula Gate for Security checks/Proceed to ABC-1
  4. 0800 T #4 –
  5. 1000 T #5 –
  6. 1200 T #6 –
  7. 1400 Spare T-Time (In case 1100 T doesn’t work on 6/12)
  8. 1600 Complete All – Site is packed/loaded and headed out

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.

Event details will continue to be available here. I will provide information each day as to how the schedule and other event details went for that day and how launches transpired. Pictures are not allowed on the range, so very few will be available. If anything is available I will post it for your viewing pleasure. Tomorrow should wrap up our launches for t his year.

If we are lucky and things go perfect and we leave the range early their may be dune sledding in tomorrow evening’s future. And Sunday we will all be heading home.

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 #SystemsGo #RideTheSky #Texasrockettrail #WSMRRocketLaunch2026 #EyesOnThe Sky #EyesToTheSkies #ItIsRocketScience

April 24, 2026, Friday, Opening Day of Rockets 2026 in North Texas

Rockets 2026 opened today at the North Texas launch site in Jack county. Three schools were slated to test a total of 23 vehicles. Three schools attended but only 17 rockets arrived for testing.

Temperatures topped out at 86 today with bright sunshine and very little clouds. The day started with a substantial breeze but by late afternoon it stopped completely allowing the heat to really settle in.

They day started a little rough as the very first rocket launched found its way down on top of a spectator’s pickup causing some significant damage. This very same vehicle had just successfully pulled a school bus out of the mud behind Mission Control.

Of all the rockets that made it to the rails today, all left and flew well. Unfortunately this was not a good recovery system day. Most failed to deploy coming down ballistic or opened bur free tumbling. Only a few came back under chute. Of those, Northstar Rocket #28 was one that had the ideal flight. They attempted a transonic launch and had a very successful run. All preliminary data suggests that not only did they fly well, have a successful recovery deployment, achieve Mach 1, and come back fully intact, but they may have just qualified for a banner. After final analysis of their data that determination will be made.

Joyce Abbey and I had a very busy day in the Media department, taking pictures and interviewing students about their rockets before and after launches. The character and intelligence of these student teams was truly amazing. The excitement the exhibited as they spoke about their rockets, what their jobs were on the team, what they learned, the challenges they faced, and how they grew as a team, brought a genuine smile.

Payloads were an interestin topic with the students today. There were a host of different things used to make that one pound requirement. Some admitted that their original object didn’t make the weight so additional things were added to bring it up. There were water bottles, glitter bombs, batteries, orbies, cameras, bb’s and coffee beans, water, oil, bath bombs, a giger counter, and an honorary picture of a school janiter that had recently passed.

Our three recovery teams had a good day, as they were able to recover 15 out 17 rockets, or at least a substantial part of them. Some pieces will be brought in tomorrow to complete rockets that only retrieved the body or chute and nose cone. Fortunately, that was only a few, most came back intact.

Tomorrow’s original schedule shows 4 schools and 21 rockets.

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 not availble this year.

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.

Below the site information, including map links, schools, flight schedule, livestream link and recovery map link are listed for your convenience.

North Texas/Jack County:

Saturday’s Schedule.

  • Schools participating: Northstar HS, BCTAL, Buinger HS, Hollenstein HS, Petrolia HS, Gary HS, and Ranchview HS
  • 14 rockets expected for testing.
  • Livestream link at available at www.systemsgo.org for each day.
  • Rockets 2026 Live Stream
  • New for this year, a recovery map link will be available for the schools to see pictures uploaded by recovery teams showing where and how their rockets were recovered. 2026 Recovered Rockets Data

Here are a couple of things that SystemsGo requires for your attendance:

  1. Any member of the public wishing to attend a launch is required to register online and agree to Launch Day Entry Form / Waiver
    Scan or Click
    Jotform Waiver QR Code
     There is no charge, but proof of registration is required before entering the site. You will be issued arm bands as proof and you must have them on at all times.
  2. All information can be found https://www.systemsgo.org

Questions and concerns may be directed to info@systemsgo.org.

If you follow the rocket program join us again tomorrow for Rockets 2026, Day 2 in Jacksboro.

If you cannot attend in person, join in the action and cheer on your students on the Livestream. The link is provided above and on the SystemsGo  home page. The look on your students’ faces when their vehicle goes up and then is recovered, is beyond priceless. If they know you are watching and supporting them, that makes it mean so much more.  Shoot them a text, or iMessage letting them know you are watching online. You can also join in on the live chat next to the Live Stream feed on YouTube. The upcoming launches in Central Texas/Stonewall and Southeast Texas/Smith Point may also be followed and viewed on this same Livestream link. 

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 #Rockets2026 #SystemsGoRocketTrail #TexasRocketTrail #EyesToTheSkies

Rockets 2025, Friday, Site Set Up Complete and Rockets on the Rail

A 6:15 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 thegare at 6:30 a.m. and did ID checks and then waited out a mission that was in progress on the range. At 7:47 a.m we left the gate headed out the range. We arrived around 8:15 a.m. and quickly began preparations.

Randy Kuhlmann 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 all the students worked through their Flight Readiness Reviews.

For the fourth year, Texas A&M college students from Hamilton, Caleb Lengefeld, Kash Kneuper, along with recent Hamilton graduates, Cate Hooper volunteered to help on range again. We also had recent grads from Fredericksburg, Gus Wagner, Jack Pedragon, Reece Harris, Wyatt Westbrook, and Will Bryla. Additionally we gained three young man from Anahuac/Hardin Jefferson’s current launch team, Ben Riddle, Christian Gillikan, and Brayden McShan.

They all 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 have said they were really enjoying seeing the program in action and helping with it. Caleb and Kash are veterans, but all of the new crew members have jumped in fully and helped things run smoothly and quickly today. They have also expressed interest in returning in subsequent years to help.

Schools Participating were Alamo Heights, Union Grove, Anahuac/Hardin Jefferson, and Brazoswood. Alamo Heights and Union Grove were fit with charges and loaded onto the rails for launch tomorrow morning. Brazoswood will load the rail tomorrow as the third launch. They have been ready and waiting today. Unfortunately, Anahuac/Hardin Jefferson developed a leak during FRR and pressure checks today that could not be contained so that had to scrub their launch for tomorrow. They will be coming out to watch the launches from Tula G with the other schools.

A line of showers popped up just northwest of Alamogordo around 7:30 p.m. this evening and made for a nice lightening show before dissapating before reaching us here at the hotel.

Our crew stuck to our tight schedule today and our caravan of vehicles plus WSMR personnel vehicles left the test site by 3:30 headed in for the evening. Food and showers were top priorities upon returning to the hotels.We all headed to Applebee’s for dinner at 6:00 and were there until almost 8:00. Steve and I went to Walmart again after dinner for a few more provisions.

Launch order for Saturday is as follows:

  • Union Grove
  • Alamo Heights
  • Brazoswood

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 5:30 a.m. arrival at the Tula Gate and 6:30 a.m. on site.
    3. Projected launch schedule:
      • T1 8:00 am. -Union Grove
      • T2 10:00 am. – Alamo Heights
      • T3 1:00 pm. -Brazoswood
  • 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.

WSMR personnell have a Military Ball tomorrow evening so all missions must be complete early so that they can attend.

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 information each day as to how the schedule and other event details went for that day and how launches transpired. Pictures are not allowed on the range, so very few will be available. If anything is available I will post it for your viewing pleasure. Tomorrow should wrap up our launches for t his year.

If we are lucky and things go perfect and we leave the range early their may be dune sledding in tomorrow evening’s future. And Sunday we will all be heading home.

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.

#Rockets2025 #SystemsGo #RideTheSky #Texasrockettrail #WSMRRocketLaunch2025 #EyesOnThe Sky #EyesToTheSkies

2025 SystemsGo Rocket Launch Event Preparations for White Sands Missile Range – Thursday

The SystemsGo team left Fredericksburg in two shifts, one at 7:00 a.m. and the second at 8:45 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, Brazoswood, and Anahuac/Hardin Jefferson also traveled to Alamogordo today to meet and begin preparations for launches this Saturday

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

Alamo Heights did their pressure test and FRR on Wednesday, but the pressure test will be redone at WSMR for safety. All schools will repeat these checks and tests on site tomorrow to ensure nothing has rattled lose in transit.

Steve, Ginger, Caleb, Cash and two new Hamilton recruits, Tyler and Cate, arrived in Alamogordo at 5:40 p.m. Andrew Matthis followed us in and brought four Fredericksburg recruits, Gus, Jack, Reece, and Will.

As soon as we arrived everyone settled into their rooms, we all took off on foot to Chili’s for dinner. There was good food, visiting and comraderie to start the weekend. After dinner Steve and Ginger took the van 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.

All documentation was completed online this year and/or turned in to Rebekah Hyatt. However having your hard copies with you is requested.

  • 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 four schools scheduled to launch four rockets. These include:

  • Union Gove
  • Brazoswood
  • Anahuac/Hardin Jefferson
  • Alamo Heights

The current launch schedule is as follows:

  • Friday, June 13th
    1. Depart for site from hotel by 6:10 a.m.
    2. Meet at Tula Gate for Security Checks at 6:45 a.m.
    3. Alamo Heights, Union Grove and Anahuac will be in our caravan from the hotel. Brazoswood will meet us enroute to the Tula Gate.
    4. Travel to ABC-1 at 7:00-7:20 a.m.
    5. Site Set up at ABC-1 upon arrival.
    6. Complete all rocket checks.
    7. 4:00 p.m. Leave the site with Union Grove and Brazoswood on the rails and Alamo Heights and Anahuac completed and ready to load the rail.
  • Saturday, June 14th
  • Launch Day – Four Rockets
  • Depart from Hotel by 4:50 a.m. for 5:30 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. – Union Grove
    • T2 10:00 a.m. – Brazoswood
    • T3 1:00 p.m – Anahuac/Hardin Jefferson
    • T4 3:00 p.m. – Alamo Heights
    • All rockets launched by 3:00 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.

#Rockets2025 #SystemsGo #Launcher01 #RideTheSky #Texasrockettrail #EyesOnTheSky #TexasToNewMexicoRocketTrail #RideTheSky2025 #EyeToTheSkies

Rockets 2018-Recap of Sunday, Day 3 and The Last Day of Houston Rockets

Today, Sunday, was the last day of launches at the Smith Point site for  the SystemsGo team. They had four more schools and eleven more rockets on the schedule. It was a successful day as all eleven left the rail.

Unfortunately, rocket # 138 for Anahuac was the last launch, and just as they were fixing to load, and interviewing the students on that team, the Livestream went down and did not return. It was a little glitchy all day, so not surprising that this happened just unfortunate for the students and their viewers at home. I know SystemsGo regrets when these things happen, but technology doesn’t always cooperate the way we would prefer. Just keeping a WiFi connection down where they were was very difficult. They didn’t even have service for their cell phones.Therefore, this was an unavoidable mishap of technical difficulties.

With that being said, at least the rest of the day and the launches all went well. All vehicles had completed launches by 1800 as best as I could tell without the final feeds.

The site was shut down, cleaned up and the Fredericksburg SystemsGo team members were headed back home by 20000(8:00pm).

Pictures  will be available in Facebook albums for you to view, but I will post a s few of my favorite screen grabs below. Phil will have several from throughout the day and weekend on the SystemsGo Facebook page as well. Links to both our Facebook pages are below.

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

https://www.facebook.com/SystemsGoEducation/

Here is the link to the live stream again. It will still be available as videos of the past event days to watch for about a month.  https://livestream.com/systemsgo 

We have come to the end of another great year of rockets. Here are today’s faves before I go and the rest will be on Facebook. Thanks to all that make these events possible.

I do have one question though, Phil what was up with ketchup pakcet?

If you follow this program Rockets 2018  will continue with the senior/graduate groups which are tentatively scheduled to launch their Goddard level rockets at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) in New Mexico in late June.  These are not available for public viewing or Livestream due to being tested on a military facility, but blog and SystemsGo updates will be posted online as available during that week.

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

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.

#RideTheSky! #Launcher01 #ItISrocketScience #Rockets2018

Rockets 2017-Friday Day 2 Report and Saturday Schedule

Friday had another slow start for rockets. The ceiling was a low again. SystemsGo was able to load 24 out of 25 rockets listed on the schedule onto the rails and launched all 24.The 25th was an abort by one of the schools.

Here are a few of those smiling faces taking their rockets down to the pad.

The north end of the range seemed to be the prime spot for landings today, which kept recovery in that area fairly busy. Unfortunately that left those of us on the south end a little bored so we went to help our northern friends quite often. So then how many recovery teams does it take to find one rocket?

As is normal, Transonics amassed most of those still missing in the field. They also made up the bulk of the final ones shot due to waiting on that cloud ceiling to clear. Coordinates for those have been generated, and the search is ongoing.

David Willden and the group from New Mexico helped out until around noon when they had to launch themselves back towards home. There help was greatly appreciated, and for them it was also further training for next year’s second launch series in Jal.

Phil Houseal was busy interviewing spectators, students and volunteers today. He even managed to catch me and coerce me into another interview this year. We seem to have a continued game between us. We both prefer to be behind the camera instead of in the pictures, so I make sure to catch him and get him in the pictures I post, and he catches me and makes me talk on camera.

Tomorrow is another big day on the range, with a full docket of rockets and extra curricular activities after launches are done as well. It will be a busy and long day. It should be fun though. Hopefully the cloud ceiling will open up earlier so we can start those rockets in a more continuous pattern. And the rain can hold off until after dark and all will be good.

Below is the launch schedule for tomorrow, Saturday. There are 7 schools launching a total of 22 rockets tomorrow.

Saturday, May 20, 2017
School
Name		 # 1st Level
Tsiolkovsky		 # 2nd Level
Oberth
Akins High School
Joyce Sayce		 5
Fabens High School
Manny Moreno		 3 2
Henrietta High School
Doug Underwood		 2 1
Maypearl High School
James Herrod		 1
McGregor High School
Chris Kuhl		 1 1
North Lamar High School
Kathy Stewart		 1
Northwest High School
Elizabeth Mitias		 4 1
7
Schools Launching
Totals 17 5
May 14th Total Rockets 22

 

The following is a link to the album of pictures from today’s launch. Have a look you and your school rocket just might be in there.

https://www.facebook.com/ginger.burow/media_set?set=a.1477962108891582.1073741889.100000334203350&type=3&uploaded=221

Good luck to all the schools launching on Saturday. I will update the blog after we complete our day again tomorrow. Here is the link to the live stream again.

http://livestream.com/systemsgo

Please remember that 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.

http://www.systemsgo.org/events/

Event details will be available here each day of the event. Daily reports featuring schedules, school names, results, pictures 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.

#SystemsGo #Rockets2017 #FredericksburgSTEMAcademy #Launcher01 #SystemsGoNewMexico

SystemsGo New Mexico Inaugural Launches Were a Great Success Thursday in Jal

Congratulations to SystemsGoNM on a great day in Jal, NM Thursday. Six schools attempted launching a total of 10 rockets today and 9 of those 10 were successful launches. That is quite an impressive start for the New Mexico program branch. Staff from SystemsGo in Texas were very pleased with today’s launch outcome.

Program Director, Rebekah Hyatt had this to say,  “SystemsGo NM has officially established their program! Jal high school was the first SG school to certify and launch a rocket! They are off to a fabulous start!”

All rockets tested this year were one pound/one mile vehicles, next year the program plans to add the next level transonic rockets to the docket. This will make next year another interesting year to keep an eye on this new program as transonic add their own set of challenges both for the students and the launch facilities.

To add to the great news, the program in New Mexico is growing and more schools may be added this next year.

Congratulations to the six schools that were part of this monumental inaugural launch this year. You were all part of history and did very well. Jal High School, Carlsbad High School, Hobbs High School, Lake Arthur High School, Loving High School, and Lovington High School, you are the first to build a launch a rocket in your schools and state as part of this program. You are now what new schools will watch and aspire to be and beat. This is a good thing. You have set your schools up for future successes. And as years pass you will find there will be a bit of friendly competition to achieve the best. This just keeps each new class reaching a little farther to learn that one thing that makes their project not only better than last year’s, but better than any other schools’.

In the beginning just getting off the rail is a huge success, but as years go by you want to improve those results. Some of you will be back next year, and some of you will not. For those that will not, you have something that no one after you will ever have again, you were the first to achieve success here today, and your success has set the bar for next year. For those that will be back, and for future groups after you, the bar is set, now it’s time to move forward and surpass it. Success now, is not matching what others have done, it is attempting to give those after you another measure to beat. This not only helps future students it helps your school’s program to continue and be successful.

The best part of this is that all you learned here in the program carries over into your success in the future. Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and whether you realize it or not, business, communication, and work place training will all help lead you to future success.

Here are a few high lights from today’s program:   

Above are two photos from the launch site.

 These are Stage 1 and Stage 2 at Jal Volunteer Fire Department.   All photos are courtesy of Rebekah Hyatt, SystemsGo Program Director.

More photos from today’s activities are available here: https://www.facebook.com/ginger.burow/media_set?set=a.1452809664740160.1073741877.100000334203350&type=3

This closes out the SystemsGoNM launch activities.

Tomorrow the team members from SystemsGo in Texas will head back to Fredericksburg and continue preparations for more launches.

Rockets 2017  will continue with two  more launches in May. The first will be held in Smith Point just south of Anahuac, Texas for schools in the Houston area, on the weekend of  May 12-14, 2017. 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 is a new location for that area this year. Information and a map link are available on the website.

Next the Stewart Ranch in Willow City, Texas will host the largest of the now three launch events on the weekend of May 18-21, 2017.  This testing site covers the Fredericksburg and Hill Country area schools and all Texas schools not participating in the Houston launches.

The senior groups are tentatively scheduled to launch their Goddard level rockets at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) in New Mexico the week of June 26-30.  These are not available for public viewing or Livestream due to being tested on a military facility, but blog and SystemsGo updates will be posted online as available during that week.

If you plan to attend any of this year’s launches please register for your attendance ticket at http://www.systemsgo.org/save-the-date-for-rockets-2017/  or they may be gotten at the gate. These are free but required for admittance to each site.  Reserving them ahead at the website is preferred to obtaining them at the gate because the latter slows entrance to the site and may result in you missing the viewing of your intended launch.

You may also view any of the launches except WSMR on Livestream. That link will be available on the SystemsGo website closer to the launch.

The launch schedules for each venue are available at http://www.systemsgo.org/save-the-date-for-rockets-2017/ . I will post it here for each launch day as well. I want it to be as accurate as possible so I will refrain from posting schedules until the evening before each launch day in case there are any late changes.

Please watch the SystemsGo website, SystemsGo Facebook page,  SystemsGo Twitter feed: https://twitter.com/SystemsGoNews and this blog for upcoming information on theses events.

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

http://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.

Thank you for reading and following the SystemsGo Rockets.

What’s All This About Rockets: Success Stories–Robert Deaver

In 1996 in the small town of Fredericksburg, Texas a high school Aerospace program was begun and built literally from the classroom skyward as then, teacher, Brett Williams, developed a plan to build and launch rockets in a classroom setting in order to teach and implement a STEM curriculum. This class originally known as Principles of Technology (the POT Class, as it was fondly referred too), later became the SystemsGo program of Education In Motion, teaching students all over the state and now New Mexico too how to use the principles of STEM to build a career.

In this series of Interview style articles, we will meet individuals that studied under this program and have gone on to build their futures on the skills it teaches. The first gentleman we will meet, is Robert Deaver.

When speaking with indiviuals that have been through this STEM program, especially in the beginning, one thing stands out. Most of them started out in the program because the course name/description sounded interesting, and it provided a science credit.  As years went by and the program became known for building and  launching rockets, that in itself became a big draw for the program, although most participants still did not expect it to have the impact on their career choices that it did.

Robert, when asked why he got involved in the STEM program, was no different. “The class name sounded interesting and it counted as a science credit.”

That simple approach drew in the first classes that set forth to build a rocket, launching  the much more valuable vehicle of their futures  as time and learning evolved.

Robert was in the class during its ground breaking days, working on the construction and flight of the Red Bird #1, #2 and #3 rockets. These were the very formative first two years of the program as students and teacher learned together exactly what it took to create these projects. At first this was just a really fun and new concept of hands on learning and teaching that the students enjoyed.

The original class was only a one year class, but students really took to it and then this “science credit” soon became a class that students took because they wanted to experience it again.

“The course was so much fun I asked if i could take it again and was allowed. I initially took the course because it sounded interesting. I took it a second time because it was fun and challenging,” Robert stated when asked what his reasons were for taking the course.

Robert credits the program with setting him on his career path. He earned a BS in Electrical Engineering a the University of Texas at San Antonio and a MS in Computer Engineering at the University of Tennessee. Robert worked for IBM, Dell, and  after graduation, Real Time Systems, where he spent the last four years designing embedded systems that are used world-wide. After his recent marriage he moved to Boerne, where he started a new career as a hardware engineer at Futurex in Bulverde.

“I did not go directly from high school into an engineering program in college, but being exposed to the ideas and concepts of engineering in the Principles of Technology (precursor to the StystemsGo program) led me there eventually. I learned about Real Time Systems through volunteering with SystemsGo and after I graduated applied for a job with RTS and was hired.” Robert stated.

In his time in the program he worked on 3 of the Red Bird Rocket projects, #1, #2, and #3.  On all three, Avionics and Electronics were his main team focus therefore he was instrumental in Altimeter configuration on all three. On RB#1 he also worked on the Audio/Video Recording and Transmission, and the Fill and Fire system design and construction. On RB#2 he took on the Recovery System design, and on RB#3 the Airframe and Fin design.

Live video transmission from rocket to ground is what he remembers as the worst problem that he tried to solve while working on the RB#1 rocket.

“The electronics were ‘fiddly’ and although it worked well on the  ground, we were not able to get it functional during launch.”

In spite of this, RB#1 is still what he remembers as his best success from the program.

“I watched as a rocket  that my team and I researched, designed, and built from scratch soared off the launch pad. That feeling of accomplishment is truly indescribable!”

During these years he learned that he really liked working with electronics.  He also learned how to work on large projects as a team.

“The Red Bird 1, Redbird 2, and Red Bird 3 were by far the largest projects I had participated in at that time. Each project required interaction with others on my team and with other teams to complete.”

Even with all he learned he still did not realize the impact this program would make on his career choices until he was in college.

“During engineering school, I realized how much more prepared I was due to the project and team interaction skills I learned in what later became the SystemsGo Program.”

When I asked Robert  what advice he would give to current and future students in the program, here is what he had to say, “If you even think you are interested in engineering take these classes and pay attention. The problem solving and team work skills you learn in the SystemsGo program will be invaluable once you get to college.”

Another success of this program is that students from past years come back year after year to volunteer with the program. Many take time out of school and careers to do this. Robert is no exception. He volunteers annually  for the Central Texas, South Texas, and Goddard launches. He has also been named a board member, where he is happy to be able to, “help shape the program.”

I would like to thank Robert Deaver for participating in this article series. He is only the first in what I hope to bring to you as an ongoing series of success stories. These are written in hopes that all may understand the impact that STEM can have on your students and future employees. Having a program available at the high school level to teach, encourage and support this type of learning is instrumental to getting these students into great career futures.  Encourage your students to get involved in STEM and the SystemsGo program if it is available at your child’s school. If it is not available, look into how you can bring it to your area. This program will greatly benefit your school and children.

If you know or have a student that went through the program that would like to share their story here, please contact me in the comment section on this blog or if you follow it on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn contact me there, and I will send you information to participate.

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.