Tag: WSMR

Day 59-Rockets at WSMR -Launch Day 1-Update

Monday was another long day for the SystemsGo team, students from Marble Falls and Anahuac High Schools, and WSMR officials as they commenced the first day of tests.  Start time on the range at 0400 was with no electricity due to lightning strikes the evening before, but this was quickly corrected.

The Fill and Fire System completed set up with the addition of the Comm Readout Displays which allow the bunk house and the pad to see a digital readout of the temperature,  pressure, and weight for the vehicle on the pad during the launch preparation sequences. The full system was tested and minor glitches addressed which brought it to 100% working and readiness. Throughout the day the system was reported to work great and continued at 100%.

Marble Falls was originally scheduled to test a 0830, instead it made it to the pad at around 1200. The vehicle passed its final fill and fire tests and went vertical around 1230. The survey team set the angel at 85 degrees with an azimuth of 355. Six Nitrous bottles were loaded into the tank. At this point it almost over pressured and began to release venting liquid instead of gas. At 175 lbs and 900 PSI  the vehicle was determined ready for launch. Switches were good, and flame was good, but the injector failed to open and the rocket went into a still fire burn on the pad, continuing to burn for four minutes, until the bottom began leaking the nitrous.

Army rules forbid any contact during this time and for 30 minutes after the fire burned out. At that time the Oxidizer crew was allowed to approach and evaluate the vehicle. The rocket was too hot too touch delaying removal of it from the pad for another hour.

Minor damages were reported to the launch rail and trailer, but nothing that would affect or delay any future launches at this time. Instead it was just enough to give Captain Garrett something to do over the summer again.

At approximately 1400 Anahuac’s vehicle was brought to the pad and cleared for launch. At fill, one and a half bottles were loaded into the tank at which time it began leaking out from a vehicle malfunction, and Anahuac had to be scratched.

This concluded the tests for the day, setting today’s successful launch rate at zero. Any school that actually makes it this far is still a success for the simple fact that they attempted a launch of a vehicle of this size. They still have post analysis to do and challenges to over come to prevent these outcomes in the future.

Mother nature was reported to have attended the tests today as well and thrown her own challenges into the range for the crew to overcome, as well as find some humor in once they had passed. First a large dirt devil spawned right on top of the range and attempted to steal one of the large staging tents, causing a commotion as individuals scrambled after and reset it. Later, two birds were fighting on a transformer out by the pad, when a loud pop resounded, right after which one bird fell to the ground while the other made its escape and the power at the pad went down. Luckily they were using generators so this did not affect the pad and they continued as it was being fixed.

The crew spent fourteen hours at the range today, with an 8 hour launch window. Tomorrow they begin their day at 0900 with a shortened 6 hour launch window due to some other military tests scheduled for that morning early. Union Grove High School will be first followed by Booker T Washington High School. Both rockets are reported to be at 100% and waiting.

That concludes Monday’s WSMR Rocket update.

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

Tune in again tomorrow for an update from Tuesday and a schedule of Wednesday’s launches at White Sands Missile Range this week.

 

Day 15-The Launch Pad Crew

Today’s blog is about the crew that runs the actual launch pad for the rocket tests. Most of this group is made up of past students that have gone through the SystemsGo program. They are all pursuing engineering careers at their respective universities. All three completed the program at Fredericksburg High School and ended that time there with a successful Goddard level rocket launch at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR).

Being at the pad, is both exciting and dangerous. Personnel here have the responsibility of loading each vehicle onto the rail, going for fill and relaying the go ahead for ignition.

These future engineers come back each year for several reasons. First and foremost they all enjoy what they are doing out there. Second as engineering students in college, this is a hands on opportunity to work in the field and have this addition for their resume`s. Lastly, they are big proponents of the program, and know firsthand what it has done for them and what it can do for students in the future so they want to help out and keep the program running, so that others will continue to have this opportunity. Most if not all of this crew will be traveling to WSMR later this summer to help run the launch of the Goddard level rockets being tested there as well.

These students include: Cade Ottmers, Annisa Kneese, and Chelsea Burow.

This year, Annisa brought a group of engineering students from Texas A&M to observe the program here first hand, and  though I do not have all their names,  I wanted to mention them because they also helped at the pad on Sunday. This gave them firsthand experience in what is being done.

Andrew Matthes, the program instructor at FHS, and retired teacher, Ned Butler, also provided assistance, instruction, and monitored safety at the pad throughout the weekend. They help insure that all procedures and checklists are followed to provide the most successful test of each vehicle.

The program wouldn’t be as successful as it is without the willingness and effort of the individuals at the pad. Each vehicle is literally in their hands in the last few moments before the test.  They check for any final issues that might prevent launch, and stand by with each vehicle as it begins fill and watching for signs that the rocket is a go for launch. For this I applaud their hard work and resilience. This year alone they had a 100% launch rate, meaning that every vehicle that made it through the Stages 1, 2, and  3 and down to the pad, left the rail at launch. Congratulations Launch Pad Crew!

Thank each one of you for all you do and are willing to do to help each vehicle complete its launch. You are an outstanding bunch, and so detrimental to the program’s success on launch days.

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