Rocketry news
I just got word this week about Southern Thunder 2006 being held June 3 & 4. It's a regional rocket shoot held in Manchester, Tennessee, just SE of Nashville, on some 1,200 acres of a sod farm. It's run by the Music City Missile Club (MC2) and the Huntsville Area Rocketry Association. The club that I belong to, the Mid-South Rocket Society will be planning a convoy out there as well.
I plan on being there, with my son and the club. I anticipate 4 High Power launches, 2 with the Garth R on J350's, and an I161 and I211 on the JL1. Then there's the 4-6 Mid-power launches, and I don't know how many model rocket launches. That's just me, by the way. There should be tons of other people out there who will also be launching their rockets of all sizes as well. I'm saving every nickel I can between then and now to make it, if you want to donate to Marks Rocket Fund, the button is over there to the right. --> ;-)
There are few more adrenalin laced sports that you can participate in. Other than throwing yourself out of a perfectly good airplane, I don't know of another sport that fills your spirit with such excitement. You haven't lived this sport until you've had your chest shaken with the liftoff of an 'M' motor. Watching it climb into the sky, yelling "Go GO GO! Baby!" like it was a Saturn 5.
And I'll tell you this. It's just as exciting to a kid to watch a rocket he built blast off on an 'A' motor as it is for me to watch my big rockets go up.
If you want a rush, this is where it's at. And it all starts at your local Wal-Mart or hobby store. You can pick up a "Ready to Fly" kit, which has everything you need (rocket, launch pad, launch controller, and supplies for two flights) but 4AA batteries. Want more? you can buy motors 3 for $5, and with some additional wadding you can keep flying that RTF rocket. Then go to your local hobby store and buy yourself a model rocket kit. There are lots of rockets that do a whole bunch of stuff. Payload rockets, multi-stage rockets, just plain cool looking rockets, the list goes on and on.
Just adhere to the Model Rocket Safety Code and each flight will be safe and fun. This is a sport that the whole family can enjoy, boys and girls, moms and dads.
Can you tell I'm excited about this?