PHOTO 102-- Flight C-38 : November 18, 1984
 | The last flight of the "C" series. This flight occurred on a chilly late-fall day, a week following the successful flight of C-37. This heavier than usual rocket had a total weight of 6.11 lbs. (2.78 kg.), which necessitated tandem two-foot diameter parachutes for recovery. Pre-launch checkout went well, with all systems performing nominally, despite the cold. Liftoff of the C-400 powered rocket was swift, with the rocket climbing just out of sight. Woefully, the much anticipated "pop" sound of parachute ejection was not heard. Rather, after several seconds, a "rushing air" sound was heard, as the rocket descended at high speed, followed by a "thud" of impact with the ground, at t=+28 seconds. The rocket was largely a write-off, and the exact cause of the parachute system failure was never determined. Note: these images were "captured" from 8mm movie film. |