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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"Make-up" Launch this Saturday, January 28th

Ralph has looked into having a "spur of the moment" make-up launch this Saturday the 28th. Ralph has gotten a lot of positive response and it's good with Kip Williams, so we want to go ahead and do a one day, Saturday only launch. Kind of to make up for last Sunday. Regular schedule. Set-up from 10:30 to 11:00 with launchs to start as soon as set-up is complete and go to aprox 5:00 so we can take down the site while it's still light. Weather looks good, chilly maybe, but mostly sunny which works well out there on the farm field that works like a solar collector. I will also have the fire pit to keep your hands warm and hot water for coffee, tea or hot coca, and the port-a-john will still be there. If you can come out, especially if you missed last Saturday, come on out and launch a few. Keep those exhaust nozzles clear and fly high. Roy

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Sunday launch cancelled, Performance Hobbies still in town.

From Ralph and Roy: This is based on the best weather forcast information on hand at this time, so we've cancelled Sundays launch. The overcast which was Ok this afternoon, is supposed to continue through tonight into late tomorrow morning, and then right when we would be setup to start Sundays launch, it's supposed to go worse from then on for the rest of Sunday through Monday. Wish we had better control of the weather, but his being an outdoor activity, we are at the whim of mother nature. We did have a pretty good launch for Saturday afternoon, pretty moist but OK up till dark. A regular post launch report will follow soon. Ken, from Performance Hobbies, will still be around if you want to get something contact him at 202-723-8257. Try to contact him to order your stuff. He may can leave it here with a club member or bring it next month. We wanted to make sure to give Ken the business while he is in town. Thanks. PS Thanks to all who came out today. You all are some real troopers. Those diehards who stuck it out really saw some great flights.

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Weather Update for Launch

Per WSOC-TV this am. The rain is supposed to move out after launch then we should see some posible partly cloudy skies this afternoon with a in the 60s. Will will still plan for a 11:00 start time. We may have to dodge a few showers.

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