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Rocket Launching of
September 1, 2013 |
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We were all getting pretty baked by the sun,
especially Matt. After the Alpha launch we called it a day and packed up. |
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Recovering the
Alpha |
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Later that evening we went back to the
field and Andrea found the Alpha in a tree. We re-examined
the photo
of her walking away from the woods and discovered
the rocket is visible in the photo. |
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We went back two days later
with a hook attached to a pole saw to retrieve it. |
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| Success! It was
in perfect condition, even though it had rained the day before. |
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The Parachute Guy Rocket Launcher |
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The PGRL didn't appear too badly damaged till
you noticed the engine holder was now an inch and a half inside the
rocket body.
With regret, it was carefully placed in the trash can. Services were
held later that day.
"Verily,
verily, I say unto you..." |
Some history... |
The "PARACHUTE GUY" rocket launcher was made on
August 10, 2006. Me 'n Matt built a disposable rocket we
could launch at the little park in West Point. It was built entirely
from trash because we didn't expect to get it back.
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This picture is flipped so you can guess
what the nosecone is made from.
Does this help? It was a light bulb
socket. |
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Matt connects the
micro clips for the maiden flight.
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August 10, 2006 Matt launched
the rocket and it went out of sight. The parachute guy was
never seen again.
The rocket was found a block away, hanging from the gutter
of a building. We went home and got a clothesline pole to
recover it, but the light bulb socket nose cone was firmly
stuck in the gutter. To retrieve the rocket we pulled on it
till the shock cord broke. We went back to the park and made
a nosecone from a cone of paper and some masking tape, and
launched it a few more times.
I guess the gutter eventually clogged
and somebody had to clean it. I wonder what they thought about
the light bulb socket attached to a parachute. |
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In 2010 we entombed a parachute guy into
a nosecone
made
from a burnt out Chinese made LED light that
died
about 25,000 hours before they claimed it would. |
Getting weighed in 2012. It weighs 2.3 ounces.
A C6-5 engine will send it 600 feet high. |
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Joe wouldn't take a picture of the PGRL blasting off
because it wasn't painted. He kept asking, "When are ya
gonna paint that thing?"
The new and improved version is painted. Ok Joe, so how ya
like me now? |
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| What could be more fun than
launching a parachute guy? Launching a parachute MONKEY!! |
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We bought 12 parachute guys and 12
monkeys.
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