Tag: Volunteers

Rockets 2026, Thursday, April 30, Central Texas/Stonewall Day 1 Launch Report

Rockets 2026, Central Texas/Stonewall Edition, began today. The original schedule listed 20 rockets for today launched by 6 schools.

Of those, 13 were successfully tested today. All were good flights, although some had stability issues in flight , and several lacked deployment of chutes. Quite a few were successfully recovered, though some will need to be searched for tomorrow while retrieving new launches. We have 7 hold overs from today that will launch tomorrow or another day later in the weekend depending on the weather. Launches had to be called by around 7:30 pm due to bad weather. We had already had to shelter in place orders around 1:00 pm and 6:00 pm. A new thunderstorom was moving in as we all left the range for the day. Tomorrow’s forcast calls for rain for most of the day. We are currently all on standby for tomorrow pending weather. But do not fear will resume on Saturday, if we cannot launch tomorrow and also have Sunday as a contingency day to complete all our volley’s.

All rockets were tested by 7:40 pm and the site secured for the evening as storms are predicted for over night in the area. Six team members congregated at La Tequila Jalisco for dinner after launches and then headed home for much needed rest before staring tomorrow’s session.

Class A Event Rentals arrived to set up tents for Mission Control, Media and spectators. The FHS “Grub Uber Alles” Culinary Arts Trailer set up shop and provided concessions for the weekend. Later LCRA and Bee Creek Communications brought in equipment to provide Internet WiFi and Radio communications.

Tomorrow 22 rockets are on the schedule, built by 7 different schools. The seven left from today will be added to that provided we launch.

Pictures from the day’s events 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

Tomorrow’s launches will continue at the Sammy Segner Ranch on Double Horn Road with Stages 1 and 2 will be at the Stonewall Chamber of Commerce building.

Restrooms and wash stations will be available at the launch site. They are provided again this year by Duane Neffendorf and Hill Country Pump Service.

Some of this year’s sponsors at CTX Rockets are Adam R. Scripps,

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Stroeher and Olfers, Inc.

and AMSAT Amateur Radio In Space.

AMSAT is hand radio operators group. They broadcast out all over the world on old style hand radios. They began sending out their signal and stories about the rocket launches earlier this week. They have reached over 30,000 people even as far away as Africa and Indonesia. As they seek to bring attention to the rocket program and provide listeners and conversation about the program, they also hope to further promote the use of hand radios across the world and across age groups in order to keep an original art alive.

New for this launch, the media group, Fredericksburg/Billies Live is operating the Livestream this week at the Stonewall launch. Page Findley seeks to involve present and former students in this venture in order to promote media at local events. Today we have three participants from the group including Conner a homeschool grad student, who started out working for a church doing similar duties, and then sought out an advance in career in order to learn more about audio/video and so joined the group. Sergio, a Fredericksburg High grad, and Yocelyn a current FHS student. They are just one group working for the media program. They can do as many as four events in a day when called upon.

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

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

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

Central Texas/Stonewall:

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  • Schools participating this year in Stonewall: Brazoswood HS, Mustang HS OK, Victoria East HS, Future Ready Learning Complex, Atascosita HS, Victoria West HS, American Communnity Schools Abu Dhabi
  • 15 more rockets are slated for testing on Saturday.
  • A Livestream for each launch is provided here:
  • Rockets 2026 Live Stream
  • And will be available at www.systemsgo.org on the Events page each day.
  • 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 toLaunch 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.

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.

After the completion of this weekend’s launches, Saturday, the Texas Rocket Trail will move to Smith Point in Anahuac, down in the Houston area for the final leg of the season before the spring launches end for another year.

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

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

www.systemsgo.org as always is the place for more information on this program. You may also email them at info@systemsgo.org . Take the time to get your school involved. Your students’ futures will benefit.

Hope to see you at the launches!

#RideTheSkies #TexasRocketTrail #Rockets2026 #EyesToTheSkies