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

SystemsGo Rockets 2025 at White Sands Missile Range This Weekend

White Sands Missile Range is once again hosting the SystemsGo Rocket Program for its season end launches. This year four schools will be traveling to New Mexico to test their rockets at White Sands Missile Range, they include:

Alamo Heights HS

Brazoswood HS

Union Grove HS

Anahuac/Hardin Jefferson HS

June 13th through June 15th 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 12th. Early on the 13th, preparations at the site will be made with the goal of launching all four rockets Saturday.  The 15th, 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.

ABC1 is our scheduled range again this year. 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. Due to this no extra personnel are permitted to attend these launches. All those in attendance please remember to have your state issued ID on your person at all times. WSMR will be checking them.

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. FRR will be conducted on the 11th an 12th. Pressure checks will be retested on site the 13th to be sure the trip out to range has not compromised anything.

At this time I do not have exact information on schedules on range for Friday or Saturday. Hopefully I will be able to provide that in Thursday’s update edition.

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.

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 #EyesOnTheSkies #TexasToNewMexicoRocketTrail #RideTheSky2025

Rockets 2025 Continues with Central Texas/Stonewall Launches Starting Tomorrow, Thursday, May 1-Saturday, May 3, 2025

The Central Texas Launches sail into the skies over Stonewall, Texas starting tomorrow, May 1, 2025. This is the third in the series for the Rockets 2025 and the second in the Texas Rocket Trail lineup.

The SystemsGo Team spent several days early this week setting up the launch site at the Sammy Segner Ranch on the Double Horn Road. This included construction of the Pad and Mission Control and testing of the rails. Stage 3 inside MC, Media, and Communications were also part of this set up.

Class A Event Rentals arrived to set up tents for Mission Control, Media and spectators. Duane Neffendorf again provided portable restrooms and wash stations to the site. We have a new food trailer providing concessions for the weekend. As of yet, I have not been able to ascertain their name or menu. I will try to get that in on tomorrow’s update. Later LCRA, Bee Creek Communications and Starlink provide support for IT,  Internet WiFi and Radio communications.

Stages 1 and 2 rocket check in stations were also established at the Stonewall Chamber of Commerce building. Student Team tables were numbered for evaluations and last-minute corrections to the vehicles.

The Stonewall site covers the Fredericksburg and Hill Country area schools. Some of our North and South Texas schools still participate here, but most are encouraged to use the sites closest to them.

Currently there are 54 rockets scheduled for launch by 16 schools at the Stonewall location for Rockets 2025. This schedule may be updated this week with the possibility of schools adding or dropping close to launch time. 

Spectators are welcomed again this year. Teachers are encouraged 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. Rockets are subject to winds, weather, and workmanship, all of which can stall a launch, and delay schedules.

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

Central Texas/Stonewall:

The sites will be open to admittance for students and teachers only at 6:00 a.m. Projected start time for launches is 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.

Rockets are subject to winds, weather, and workmanship, all of which can stall a launch. Please either join in the action on site or help cheer the students on while watching the  Livestream. 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. 

A live feed for each launch will be provided here:

CTX Stream May 1

And the link is available at http://www.systemsgo.org on the Events page each day of the launch.

Daily reports featuring schedule links, school names, results, pictures, and editorial content will be posted during the events if information is available.

Pictures from each day are on SystemsGo Facebook page, as well as my Facebook page. They can be found here:

  • Thursday, May 1- Saturday, May 3, Weather Contingency Day-Sunday, May 4
  • Launch Site: 2187 Double Horn Road, Stonewall, Texas 78671
  • Stage 1 & 2 at Stonewall Chamber of Commerce: 250 Peach Street, Stonewall, TX 78671
  • Central Texas-Stonewall 2025 Flight Schedule
  • Schools participating: Fredericksburg HS, Kingwood HS,  Union Grove, Roosevelt HS, Harleton HS, Canyon City HS
  • 20 expected rockets for testing

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

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

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 to see you at the launches!

#RideTheSkies #TexasRocketTrail #Rockets2023 #EyesOnThe Skies #EyesToTheSkies

ROCKETS 2025 Season, Spring Launch Sequence Begins Today!!!!!

SystemsGo Rockets 2025 launch sequence begins with T-0 set for early today, Wednesday morning in Jal, New Mexico. After launches on Wednesday and Thursday in Jal, action will transition to the second venue in Jacksboro, TX for the Northeast Texas Launches on Thursday and Friday.  Central Texas Launches are third on the docket and will open in Stonewall the first week in May on Thursday through Saturday, and Smith Point will host the Southeast Texas Launches on Friday and  Saturday of the second week in May, concluding the 2025 Spring Launch series.

Necessities and logistics for all  Texas and New Mexico launch venues have been established. Travel  and accommodation plans are also lined out, and the Team is ready.

Things that will be available onsite this year:

  1. Concessions will be available onsite at each location  (menus may be limited.)
  2. We encourage bringing your own 10×10 pop up for extra shelter from weather be it sun or rain.
  3. Hand washing stations and portable restrooms.
  4. A Livestream link from all Texas launches. Available online at https://www.systemsgo.org/events/ The correct link will be listed under each venue information section.
  5. A Google map link directing you to the launch site and the individual Stages is available at https://www.systemsgo.org/events/

Here are a couple of things that SystemsGo requires for your attendance at our spring launches:

  1. Any member of the public wishing to attend a launch is required to register online and agree to SystemsGo Terms and Conditions 2025 waiver acknowledging that you are entering a test site on an unimproved ranchland, launching area with student designed and built, previously untested, experimental rockets.  There is no charge, but proof of registration is required before entering the site.
  2. The QR code for registration can be found https://www.systemsgo.org/events/ .

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

Dates for all events except White Sands Missile Range are as follows:

  • Jal, New Mexico  — April 23-24
    • Phillips Hill Rd & County Rd 10, Jal NM 88252
  • North Texas/Jack County — April 24-25,  weather contingency day on the 26th
    • FM 2210 W and Gowan Ranch Lane, Jacksboro, TX 76458
  • Central Texas/Stonewall — May 1-3,  weather contingency day on May 4th
    • 2187 Double Horn Road, Stonewall, Texas 78671
  • Southeast Texas/Smith Point — May 9-10,  weather contingency day May 12th
    • 19350 FM 562, Anahuac, TX 77514
  • WSMR – Late June, final dates TBD

Twelve schools will launch in Jal, and a total of 34 schools in the three Texas launches, which brings the grand total of schools to 46. A total of 161  rockets will be tested between the Texas and New Mexico launches for this 2025 Rocket season.

The sites will be open for admittance to the general public at 8:00 a.m. and launches will commence as soon as the first rockets complete all Stages and are cleared for launch.  Rockets are subject to winds, weather and workmanship, all of which can stall a launch. Come join in the action and cheer on these students. Admission is free, but the look on your students’ faces when their vehicle goes up and then is recovered, is far from priceless.

Stage 1 and Stage 2 check stations will start admitting students and teachers at 6:00 a.m.

Stay tuned for more updates as events get closer. More changes may be announced as plans and arrangements are completely finalized. Rockets will #RideTheSkies in just under two weeks.  Welcome back to the SystemsGo Rocket Trail, we will see you at lift off!

Event details will continue to be available here.

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 supremely enhanced.

Hope to see you at the launches!

#EYESTOTHESKY!! #RideTheSkies #texasrockettrail #Rockets2025 #SystemsGoRoocketTrail #TXNMRockets2025 #EyesToTheSky!!

 

What Do Writers Write, When They Haven’t A Clue?

What do writers write about when they have no clue what to write about? What words hit the page, when there is no event to cover, public interest or personal thing that lends itself to writing a story? That is exactly what this story is going to investigate.

Of course, I say Writers, loosely. Mostly this applies to one lost writer I know.

I sit at my computer, brainstorming over ideas of nothing. The little voice in my head rehearses that writer’s mantra of “Writer’s Write,” so write something. Write anything! Certainly, there must be something of interest for me to put words on paper.

My writer friend, Phil, who seems to never lack for something to write about, of course, that is pretty much all he does these days. I still have a “real” job as my husband would tell me. If it were up to me that would be my only “real” job, but finances just do not follow inline for me. Anyway, he asks me every time I see him, “So what have you been writing lately? I haven’t seen any posts from you.”

I need more rocket events; I always write about them when they are in season. Unfortunately, Rocket Season just ended for the spring. Only the big boys that we take to White Sands are left to be tested at the end of June. I have been doing pregame on that event, but I cannot launch those yet. Pun definitely intended. I love Rockets, and I had to get it in there somewhere. But as is the usual schedule of events, after June, I have no more rockets and sadly my enthusiasm seems to wane. So, in answer to his question, “Not a whole lot. Some poetry here and there. A fictional story once in a while. Oh, I did a devotion for our Lenten book at church. Does that count?”

I told him, I would love to travel and write about where I travel. He asks, “ Why aren’t you doing it?” Same answer, “Time, money, PTO, did I mention money.” Yup it’s a rut!

Now here I am, trying to at the very least write something. And here is the best part. I love having spell check and an editor, but can’t it just leave me alone until I want it’s help? I don’t even know what I am writing about! What do I care if it is correct at this point?

I am sitting here trying to figure out where to go from here, tapping inertly on my keyboard. When a story I saw in the Daily Update of the Fredericksburg Standard comes to mind, and I wonder why, now? Here is the answer, and it is something to write about, however briefly.

The band is reviving the Cake Walk this Thursday, at the Farmer’s Market at Market Platz. Actually, it is TODAY! They have asked for percussion alumni to come play the old traditional cowbell cadence. As I ponder for ideas, I realize my inert drumming is that very cadence. Not surprising, since old Bandies tend to revert back to what they know.

The Band Cake Walk hasn’t happened since the 1990’s so I am told, but I was a very young child when I really remember attending the event. I do remember making a pink carousel cake with Peeps animals for horses. I was very proud of it at the time. It was the only decorated one I recall taking to donate and be judged. No, if memory serves me, it did not place.

At the time I recall it used to take place right where Adlesverein Halle is on Market Platz. That corner was a community baseball field at the time. I do remember having fun as a child. By high school it had lost it’s luster. I was a teenager, and both my mother and grandmother made wedding and all occasion cakes for the public and I was forced to help. I hated it. Little did I know I would spend 13 years setting up and delivering cakes for Sophie’s Choice Bakery later in life. My Oma would have been thrilled. She always told me, what you throw away the farthest is what you pick up first. Well, it wasn’t first, but I did pick it up and actually enjoyed it then.

I do intend to attend tonight’s event. I am curious, and nostalgic. I want to hear the cadence. As for the cake walk itself, I will watch, past that I have not decided, only time will tell.

Most of what I have found to note on paper today, probably won’t be of interest to folks not from old Fritztown, but you know what? That is ok. Heck it might not even be entertaining to them. But you know what? There are words on paper. Honestly, that was my goal.

So, I still don’t really know what to write about, but I did have fun rambling around. I hope you enjoyed it. Perhaps I will try to do it more often. You know, make it a thing, titled, “What Do Writers Write About, When They Haven’t a Clue?”

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

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

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

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

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

www.systemsgo.org as always is the place for more information on this program. You may also email them at info@systemsgo.org .Take the time to get your school involved, the future of your students will be greatly benefited.

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