This is one of the most fascinating
hobbies: Building model and experimental (in US: high
power) rockets
and launching them with tremendous acceleration on
commercially manufactured rocket motors.
The records of the american rocketry associations (NAR and TRA) tell that this is
also one of the
safest ways to spend your free time.
I'm a regular reader of the newsgroup
rec.models.rockets and have written a part of the groups FAQ
about rocketry in Germany.
Click here for pictures of some of my rockets.
Click here for pictures of DERA activities (most of them also my rockets).
Click here to learn about rocketry activities in The Netherlands .
Click here for pictures taken during my visit to the fall 1996 RATS launch.
Click here for a short MPEG video (~8s, ~690KB) of a launch of my LOC H76 on an Aerotech G35-7 single use motor.
Click here for a short MPEG video (~3s, ~300KB) of a launch of my LOC Forté on an Aerotech G33-5 reloadable motor.
Click here for a short MPEG video (~3s, ~210KB) of the first launch of my heavily glassed PML Phobos on an Aerotech G64-7 reloadable motor.
Rocket Science and Projects
Motor Testing
Using a homebuilt test stand, my friend Juergen
Putzger did some tests of model rocket motors.
Click here to take a look at the test
stand and the test results.
Positive motor retention
With bigger rockets and bigger motors you often run
into the problem of holding your precious motor or reload
casing in the model during ejection. You can't simply
scale up the (in)famous Estes motor retainer hook.
Here is a description (with
pictures, ~60KB) how it can be done.
My method is easily added to already built models too.
