Many Thanks to ROCC for their efforts at NSL 2008

The following is a post of Todd Haring's email to the Prez. Ralph, I have received phone calls and e-mails - as well as many people stopping me at the launch itself - to tell me how much they appreciated the efforts of the ROCC helpers at NSL 2008. It is a great thing to know how that I am a member of such a great group of folks. Burl and Joanna Finkelstein both asked me to thank you all again for your efforts. WAY TO GO ROCC - I have also been told that NAR was so impressed with the field in Orangeburg and the quality of the event that they are asking the Carolina's to host another NAR event soon. Burl called me today to see if I am game and I said yes - it might be becuase I am dehydrated and am not thinking straight but I told him to count me in...so ROCC members - we may have a chance to participate again. We had flyers from as far west as Texas and as far north as Michigan. They may have come from further than that - but that is the farthest away of those I met. I'll get some pics to Doc soon...I have a bunch - Mark and I are sorting through them this week. We should all be proud and I can't thank everyone enough for getting involved and making our Club Proud!!! Todd Haring

Click to read more ...

NSL 2008 , What a Launch

Everyone: The NSL launch was this past weekend and I was happy to see a lot of ROCC members there. It was great to see all the good work everyone did to host the launch. Burl's wife Joanna helped get all the ROCC volunteers working and it was a good thing we worked cause it allowed the load to be spread more evenly, they were most appreciative of our efforts. The SoAR and ROSCO group were beat by the end of the weekend. There were a lot of great flights and a few not so good, however, It was a great launch. The weather was awesome on Sunday and Monday with just a few breezy times. Hopefully, we will have some good pictures to post up soon. I was checking the Rocketry Forum tonight and check this out. This is a reprint of Trip Barber's Post, just had to slide this in: ----------------------------------------------------------------------- NAR National Sport Launch 2008 My thanks to Event Director Burl Finkelstein and all the team from SoAR, ROSCO, and ROCC Sections (and the TRA SC Prefecture) for a job well done in organizing and running a great, friendly NAR National Sport Launch 2008 over Memorial Day weekend at the Super Sod launch site in Orangeburg, SC. Many members of the National Association of Rocketry and other rocketeers from the Southest region benefited from their hard work and skill in putting this event on and, like me, had a great time flying rockets and socializing with new and old friends as a result. It was a fine weekend of fun, friendships, and flying on an outstanding site. Thanks to all of you who ran NSL 2008 for taking your turn in service to the NAR by stepping forward to take this on. Trip Barber NAR 4322 NAR VP & National Events Committee Chairman ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: Rockets Magazine was there taking pictures and videos, look for a DVD and articles to come in Rockets and Extreme Rocketry Magazine. Thanks, Ralph Roberts

Click to read more ...

NSL Photos

Just to echo what Ralph said in his post we have a friend that came down and shot about 400 MB of photos, I've spoken to Todd & he's got a bunch, anyone else please send photos to me at my "wireknotatgmaildotcom" account. (Note, I replaced the usual symbols to foil the spam-bots.) Thanks, and to those who didn't make it, boy, you missed a great one! DR

Click to read more ...

Opportunity Lost with the Clean-Up day- Ralph,Club editorial

Brad, Doc, Roy, Ralph, Todd and Mark Canepa were the only attendees at the May ROCC clean-up day yesterday. It was very successful and our launch equipment is on its way to the NSL Launch.

Click to read more ...

Questions about rocket club activity in Orangeburg (AKA NSL FAQ)

I've gotten some questions about the National Sport Launch in Orangeburg this Memorial Day Weekend. All the questions could be answered by reading the NSL website. But I'll cover a few of them. 1. No, there is no fee to just come out and watch. there is only a "Launch Fee" if you are going to fly. You could have Pre-regestered in advance by the 13th, or you can regester at the launch field for the weekend or by the day. Prices are on the web site. 2. Yes, it is worth while to come out and just watch the show. There are rockets that only get flown once or twice a year by one flier or by a sponsored team, and this is one of the places they come to fly them. And there should be a impressive number of Rocket Venders with lots and lots of very neat and gotta-have stuff to look at, buy and drool over. Food venders also, so you really don't have to leave the site till the end of the day. 3. No overnight camping on the field. There is a list of recommended hotels on the web site. Have noticed on prior O'burg launchs, that because this is a "Sod Farm", there are giant moving water sprinklers, so don't set up a shade shelter Friday. Wait till Saturday morning and you should be able ask if you have to remove or move it for the night, or if the sprinklers will not be in our area for the weekend. 4. There is a contact point on the web site for more detailed questions if you have any. 5. Our local ROCC club is planing on a "Get the equipment cleaned and ready" to take down and assist the O'burg club. We are lending them our equipment to supplement their set up to handle the large volume of flights expected. It needs to be ready to go down that Friday. Hope to see you out at the Williams Farm this Sat, 1 - 4:00 for the equipment preparation. Roy. ROCC Sec.

Click to read more ...

Rockey club activity for May

Hey hey hey Everybody.... ROCC Sec Roy here to remind everyone that due to the Barley crop out on the farm and our support and participation in the NAR, National Sport aunch 2008 in OrangeBurg SC Memorial Day Weekend, We will NOT have a regular 3rd weekend ROCC Launch out at the farm for the month of May. ROCC Prez Ralph wants everyone to know however = Since we are donating our equipment to the NSL 2008, launch in Orangeburg May 24th,25th, and 26th I suggest we have a launch equipment cleanup day and work day at the Farm say about Saturday afternoon May 17th from 1:00-4:00. This would include prep time for the new rocket motor magazine safe, Brad, line up your welder. Sandy, I'll get the specs on the hoods by this week. I would like to have all the equipment cleaned and checked out for Todd and Terry to delivery to Orangeburg on Friday May 23rd. Maybe get together at Bob's Dinner down the road afterwards. Important: The NSL pre-registration deadline (13 May) is coming up soon for the NSL 2008 launch so please sign up ASAP. The NSL launch will provide a great opportunity for us to participate in a National launch on a great field. Please try to attend. You can register on site per day or for the weekend if your not sure. More news to follow, so please stay tuned. NSL 2008 web site for info, hotels, flight pre-registration. It's easy to get to Orangeburg. Take I-77 south to Columbia SC. Merge onto I-26 south at Columbia to Orangeburg. Exit at exit 154-A and the SuperSod Farm will be about 1/2 mile on the left. The whole trip is aprox 2 hour 40 min (legal speed) from my location in the University area of Harris Blvd.

Click to read more ...

Great Soyuz story

Jean found a great article on the IEEE website about the recent out-of-parameter return of the Soyuz spacecraft from the ISS. It describes what seems to be a very near disaster that may have been averted by engineers making a design change close to 40 years ago to avoid a repeat of an earlier disaster. It makes some great, albeit chilling, reading. LINK

Click to read more ...

Launch Report April 20 2008

Welcome All Rocketeers, Sunday, April 20th. Sunday was better in most respects, more sun, no rain but we should have expected that there would be some kind of breeze and light to stiff winds pushing the rain front out. It was easy to cope with but a nuisance just the same.

Click to read more ...

Launch Report April 19 2008

Welcome All Rocketeers, where were you April 19th? It was a challenge of a weekend this time. Saturday the 19th of April was off and on light rains, one good but short rain that we got a telephonic warning about. In these case�s we just quickly covered over the equipment till it passed through the area. And it was a bit more breezy than we expected. Sunday was a lot clearer and better, but we did get a bit more wind than was forecasted.

Click to read more ...

May - ROCC activities

For those of you who missed the April launch here is the discussion regarding the field and launch status. The Barley is starting to "Head-Out", as Kip puts it, so from here on out to harvest time it has to be cared for gingerly. As it dries out to harvest which Kip said would be about the last week of May, first week of June there will be no way to fly in the field. So the May Launch dates are postponed. Kip also noted that the Corn will more than likely go in on the North field this week. However, since we are donating our equipment to the NSL launch in Orangeburg May 24th,25th, and 26h I suggest we have a launch equipment cleanup day and work day at the Farm say Saturday afternoon May 17th from 1:00-4:00. This would include prep time for the new safe, Brad, line up your welder. Sandy, I'll get the specs on the hoods this week. I would like to have all the equipment cleaned and checked out for Todd and Terry to delivery to Orangeburg on Friday May 23rd. The registration deadline is coming up soon for the NSL launch so please sign up ASAP. (See Todd's post below) The NSL launch will provide a great opprotunity for us to participate in a National launch on a great field. Please try to attend. More news to follow, so please stay tuned. Ralph Roberts ROCC Prez

Click to read more ...