Launch Update

Man, have the e-mails been flyin' today!!! (culled from various e-mails by Doc): Looks like we are going to ABORT SATURDAY, go for SUNDAY ONLY for this weekend and try for a 2-day on the 25th-26th. Updated info will be forthcoming, but here's the latest from 'el Presidente: Everyone: As it stands right now the current cold front will move through today (Friday). Then it sets up for cold air to start building in with temps dropping though the day tomorrow. It will be warmest in the morning then turning colder. Rain/sleet and snow at a 60-70% chance is the call for tomorrow with a dry cold day forecast for Sunday. Sunday looks OK provided it is then not too wet. The "park at the house" rule may have to be in effect for Sunday. Ken and Brent (Hobbytown, USA) want to attend weather permitting. I need to let them know something ASAP. I will call Kip today and get his take on the situation as well. What ever we do, I would think we should plan on flying next weekend to provide another makeup day. Thanks, Ralph

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February 2006 Launch

Everyone: The February Launch is a go at Williams Farm this coming weekend Feb 18th and 19th. The issue will be weather, as of Weds night there is a 40% chance of showers Sat and even a small chance on Sunday. Winds N-NE 5-10 calming toward evening. Highs in the mid 40s. Not the best of scenarios. Please keep advised of the email and websites all weekend for last minute changes. As always launch site weather available via cell phone at 704-560-0147 the days of the launch.

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NAR and TRA lawsuit vs ATF

Everyone: I just received word that NAR and TRA have won their appeal on count 1 of the ATF lawsuit which is the count saying that APCP does not belong on the Explosive list. An official announcement is on the TRA site here I am sure NAR will have a notice posted shortly. I along with a TRA board member are in agreement that this is great news but the WAR is far from over. I am sure there will be further information forth coming. Please read the court brief. I am sure there will be further legal challenges ahead, so take the news with a word of caution. Thanks, Ralph Roberts ROCC Prez and Prefect

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What'da ya wanna build today?

You know, I've been building rockets for about 37 years now, starting with a Big Bertha from Estes when I was about 10 or 11. For those of you who are younger, you may have never heard or seen some of the rockets of yester-year that we remember fondly. Here's a link to one of the best, coolest sites out there: Jim Z's Rocket Plans pages. Its a trip down memory lane... LINK

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Nascar in the Clouds

Well, I guess it had to happen sooner or later. This story from Wired News about 2 of the Ansari X-Prize alumni forming the first Rocket Racing League team! RRL Link

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January Post-Launch Report Part II

Welcome to the 28 January Post-Launch Report Part II. As most of you know, especially those who were able to come out, we had a �make-up launch day� due to the rain the weekend before. We aren�t always able to do this, but Ralph, enthusiastic club President that he is, checked things out and checked around to see if we could get enough participation, and it looked good enough to go through with it.

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Launch Report for Saturday January 21st

Happy New Year!!!!! We had our first new years launch this last 21st of January on Saturday. It was not the kind of weather that we would have wished for to launch rockets in. Saturday was wet, drizzly, and with some rain earlier in the morning, so setup was delayed until we were pretty sure that the last rain-cell had passed through the area. Then we did have some drizzle into the early afternoon but we were able to launch when anybody was ready. Late afternoon till closing it was cloudy and damp, but it was about 58 to 60 degrees, so the saving factor was that it wasn�t damp and cold but damp and kind of warm. So it was workable conditions. Sunday, as you know was canceled at the end of that day based on the information that we had at the time that was forecasted as pretty much cold, damp and a high risk of drizzle, wind and some rain after 12 noon on Sunday. So that�s why we are flying again this Saturday the 28th, same launch time, same launch location, so if you were one of those who missed out last week due to the weather, this is a spur-of-the-moment make-up launch day. (Ken Allen will not be there.)

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A Haunting tale, well told

In searching around today for information about the Challenger accident, I found the following article. It's written by Jay Barbree, space corespondent for NBC for over 40 years. He's seen pretty much everything that's ever gone up at the Cape. I must warn that the series is disturbing and emotional, but it's very well written and one of the best series on the flight I've ever seen. Here's the link: Challenger Story

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Astronomy Days in Raliegh, NC 1-29-06

Ralph Roberts will help Tripoli NC (The Whitikers group) man a both at the event called Astronomy days 2006 at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences Sunday. Due to bad weather Ralph was unable to attend last year but plans on going Sunday to help promote our NC clubs and espcially Rocketry of Central Carolina. The event will be both Saturday and Sunday Jan 28th and 29th, so feel free to attend. It may be pretty cool. See the link below. Astrodays Link

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Make-up launch and cool pix

Come out to the farm on Saturday!... and to get you thinking about it, here's a cool pix when the "big boys" play!: http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap060124.html

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