Dean
Roth's 04-01-00 Launch Report
Small and Dangerous Rocket Ships
April 1, 2000
Spaceport New Berlin, WI -- The normally tranquil neighborhood of 18400 West Lincoln Avenue, if you don't count the big trucks that rumble through every few minutes, was emporarily converted into a hub for the race to space on Saturday, April 1. Rocket scientists Seay and Roth arrived at about 10:00 and determined that the dreary weather forecast was another work of fiction produced by the weather service's new computer. Team Jarosch and Jarosch arrived shortly thereafter.
This was to be a special day for David Seay. David's father was a consultant on the design of a Saturn V component. David brought a Saturn V to fly. (An Estes kit, not the one that uses liquid fuel.) Mr. Seay's Saturn V left the Earth on an Aerotech E30 motor for a terrific flight. The rocket was also flown on an E15. The motor chuffed, then ignited. The rocket boosted, looped once or twice at a low altitude, started falling, and, as everyone held their breath, deployed the parachutes while still in the air. The rocket made another terrific flight on an E30.
Mr. Roth's Pratt SureFire didn't. The limit of the battery had been found. The last recharge had been in November or December. Team Jarosch came to the rescue with a battery and controller. Mr. Roth's only means for putting an Apogee Micro-V2 into the air was to throw it. Multiple attempts to ignite Apogee micro motors failed. Mr. Roth suspects that Apogee is using old coffee grounds in the motors rather than black powder.
Mr. Roth successfully flew an Estes Snitch (saucer) several times. As the day came to a close someone [Editors note: Hmmm, could that someone be Mr. Vande Bunt?] suggested CHAD (Cheap and Dirty or Cheap and Dangerous) staging the Snitch. First CHAD staged flight was a C6-0-to-C6-0. It worked well enough. The motors had been taped together. They failed to separated. The sustainer had burned a hole through the side of the booster. From someone came the suggestion for a D12-0-to-C6-0 CHAD stage. The C6 motor fits inside the D12 case. The motors were friction fitted. They flew.
David and Eric Seer (and David's daughter?) flew several rockets.
Scott Hansen, his daughter Brianna and his niece Hailey Schwindt converted black powder into propulsion, too.
Dave Lyle stopped to watch, creating confusion with three David's on the field.
A photographic record of the day has been submitted to the highly respected WOOSH web site manager, Mr. Scott Hansen.
That wasn't really an uncertified motor, right, Scott?! [Editors note: All I know is it had a B and a 4 in it!]