ROCC Midland update as of 11/22: (Update Tues. eve.)

UPDATE: Weather is looking fair right now, winds from the north and north west during the day, topping 6 MPH. PLEASE stop by the ROCC Face book page and let us know if you're planning to attend, we're currently at about 25 folks of our max of 50. 

I just got back from some maintenance on the launch equipment out in Midland. The fields are clear, the equipment in in good shape and it looks like we're ready for a launch on Saturday November 28th. Also it looks like the house is unoccupied, we'd need to check with Kip if that's the case if we want to move farther up the field.

Weather looks a bit dicey, with a 30 - 40 percent chance of rain (of course it is!) but Sunday at the moment looks worse. We'll see how the long range forecast pans out this week.

Masks will be required at the pads, sign in tables, RSO, etc., and optional if you're at your car with your own "bubble" folks. We will have bottles of hand sanitizer at each location and spray down the pads several times during the day. Remember to practice your social distancing and don't congregate in large groups.

Remember we're under an NC imposed 50 person limit so we'll need to know if you're coming. If you'll leave expected the number in your party in the comments we can get an estimate of how many are planning to attend. If it looks like we're going to be way over we'll need to do something about that.

Ken is on the schedule to be with us so bring that shopping list!

I'll post more once we get closer to the date, have a great T'giving!

dr

November 2020 Update as of 11/12

Hey everyone!

We're hopeful of getting back to flying at the Midland field... crops, COVID and weather permitting. We're waiting on an update from Kip about the crop staus which as you probably know needs a hard freeze and then about 10 days to dry out so he can harvest. Right now that hard freeze hasn't happened yet, so we're kind of in limbo right now. 

If we can't fly in November then we'll shift to looking toward December 19th. Ken has us on his schedule for that weekend and if the stars align we might actually make it!

Speaking of things aligning, on December 21st of this year Jupiter & Saturn will be at their closest conjunction since 1623, so you won't want to miss that. (Most of us weren't around for that one.) Here's a LINK to the Earth & Sky site about it.

Hope to see you all soon!

dr

UPDATED 10/10: Getting back to normal... kind of.

Update Saturday 10/10...  because of the rain and such, the folks in South Carolina rescheduled this Saturday to NEXT Saturday, the 17th. 

Looking for launches? Well, you're in luck! As our region slowly gets back to relative normality rocket clubs are starting to have launches again. As most of you probably know we've been severly restricted as to how many people can gather outside in both NC and SC the last 6 months. At last the tide is turning. 

Camden SC club ROSCO will be launching at their field in South Carolina on 10/10/2020. More information is located on their website HERE  or their Facebook page HERE

Next, the Saturn Rocketry Club in Hendersonville, NC will be launching on 10/26/2020, and more information on their launch is located on their website HERE  or their Facebook page HERE

Lastly, we're hoping to get back to the Midland field in November, keep an eye on this site or our FaceBook page located HERE

Stay safe everyone, and hope to see you all soon.

dr

ROSCO & ICBM Cancel July launch in Camden SC

Hey all...  I got a tweek on Facebook from Chuck Haslip about the Camden launch. Here's what they posted:

"July ICBM Launch is Canceled. Out of an abundance of concern for the health of our members and the public, we cannot hold a launch in July. We will hope for better numbers and focus on August for our next launch. We just can’t support traveling in 4 states (SC, NC, GA, FL) with the highest COVID rates to hold a launch."

In the current atmosphere with current numbers and the 3-week extension of phase 2 confinements in NC it was a long shot that it was going to be happening. The only thing we as residents can do is to help with everything we can to keep from spreading this virus... wear your masks, keep your distance, don't be stupid. 

As far as Midland goes we're into the real growing season and wouldn't be able to fly there anyway. That option will (hopefully) be back on the table come fall. 

There is a club in Hendersonville, the Saturn Rocketry Club, that is scheduled to launch this Saturday, June 27th. Their website is HERE. Barb tobin is a regular up there and posted it over on Facebook. They do up to "G" motors 

So, with all that said it doesn't look like there's going to be a lot of flying for another month. 

I will start catchinig up with email (I've been really slack about it in all this COVID stuff, we've been busier than ever at my office unfortunately and something had to give) now that the latest decisions have been made and we have a clearer direction for the next month. 

Last thing... Saw this on Twitter just now as I wa swriting this, Phobos has created a partial eclipse on Mars that was captured by the Curiosity rover mast camera: https://twitter.com/kevinmgill/status/1275181831223046144

Enjoy

dr

Jim Scarpine could use our help.

Got a note a few days ago, and some follow up from Ralph today. Our friend Jim Scarpine has been in and out of the hospital in the last 2 weeks with congestive heart failure. He's currently home, but in fairly bad shape apparently. He could use some financial support to get through this. 

Friends have set up a Go-Fund-Me page here: Jim's Flight to Freedom

Jim's been a fixture at many ROCC launches over the years, as well as ROSCO/ICBM and other area rocket launches. He's a big man, free with advice and help whenever he can. If you can do it, please consider stopping by the page and doing what you can. 

Thanks,

Doc R. 

COVID-19 Update 4-23-2020

Hi folks, Doc here... just wanted to put something up with the Govorner's update today. With the extension of the stay at home order in place until at least May 8th we're probably not going to be back at the Midland field for the rest of the season. I was going to go out and do some work to summerize the launch equipment for the fall. I will check on the crops and post back the status. 

All that said, I'm hopeful that by the end of May the ICBM/ROSCO folks could be able to host the Memorial Day launch in Camden. SC. Keep an eye on the site and the facebook pages. 

dr

COVID-19 update

Hello folks...  those of you that keep an eye on Facebook will have seen this already, but in the last 24 hours both Tripoli and NAR have released statements that no sections of either organization should hold any type of launch activities or meetings in the next few weeks in keeping with Federal and State executive orders on the COVID-19 virus. 

This is a blow to many folks, especially the students participating in the USLI and TARC compititions. They were both scheduled to come this weekend to do either final tweeks or preliminary launches for qualifications. 

I hope that you all stay healty, and if you can do anything to help folks that are in need please reach out and do it. 

Stay tuned into both the web page and our Face Book page for updates, we'll let you know as soon as we can fly. In the mean time, Ken at Performance Hobbies, as well as all the small businesses in our area, could sure use some business!

See you all soon I hope. 

dr

LEAP Launch Report!!

What a great Sunday!! Not so much Saturday... Roy Potter has brought together all the launch cards for the weekend's festivities, deciphered all the chicken scratches and compiled his report on the shenanigans from our first-ever Leap Year Launch! I was hoping for 2 days of launching fun but alas the winds were just too stiff on Saturday for most folks. It was a stretch when I slated it in, I was hoping they'd over-estimate the wind speeds but if anything they were higher than predicted. You know what to do... click the "Read More" link. dr

Click to read more ...

The LEAP-LAUNCH February 29th & March 1st

We are a GO for launching this weekend, starting a bit late on Saturday and then a regular day Sunday. 

Saturday we will set up at 11:30, flying by NOON. This should allow any rain that comes tonight to dissipate.

It's going to be very windy on Saturday, winds 10 - 15 mph but directly down the runway from the west. Kind of chilly as well, so dress in layers. 

Sunday is a good deal warmer, less windy at 5-7 mph but shifting from the WSW so kind of toward the Simpson farm. Watch your rod angles and your chute depolyments!

Ken should be with us this weekend since it's an off-weekend for him. 

See you at the pads!!

Looking toward Feb 29th & March 1st

Man, we've been burning up the emails today trying to decide on a try for flying this weekend. As pretty as it's going to be the runway hasn't faired well with the freeze-thaw cycling this week. Kip says tomorrow is out and Sunday is a long shot. So... next week is supposed to be wet early, then several dry days. We're going to try and do a 2-day launch next weekend, the 29th and 1st, so stay tuned and hope for nice weather. In the mean time, build, repair, and make your shopping lists for Ken.