The German Space Festival 1997

Sometimes the DERA is asked to do some demonstration flights with rockets. This is not easy because there are no BAM certified standard motors bigger than C available here in Germany. But sometimes (way too seldom!) there are meetings where the necessary licenses to use non (not yet?) certified motors are granted.

One of this occasions was the first German Space Festival which had been held on June 20-22, 1997 at Laucha in Thuringia. This is my report which had been postetd to the rec.models.rockets newsgroup.

One of the highlights of this Space Festival was the launch of a 2.3m tall mail rocket loaded with about 500 postcards:
(You can get full scale pictures by clicking on framed pictures)


The mail rocket during preparation. The postcards are being loaded into the 'flying letterbox'.




The mail rocket mounted on the pad. I'm just connecting the ignitor wires to the launch controller.




The rocket at take off!
This was my first I motor (and then an I284). It was awesome! The flame was almost 1m long.
And no - the people are not standing as close as it seems. It's an effect created by the tele lens.
(Photo by Niels Ohrmann)




A picture perfect launch - what a beautiful sight when the 5.5kg rockets lands smoothly on its 2m parachute (only seen if you click on the picture to get the big version)! The recovery crew hurries to get the rocket back in before the rain starts.



That's how the recovery crew found the rocket laying on the grass.


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Last edited: Jan 1998