Contents Atlantis – Page 3

Nebraska Heat 10 – Page 4

Nebraska Heat Rocket–Page 16

NASA Space Place – Page 18

THOR’s Hammer The official newsletter of The Heartland Organization of Rocketry! Meeting Minutes – Page 19

Summer 2007 ---FREE--- Volume 14 Number 3

Joe Michel (right) presents his 2.6x upscale of the Estes Orbital Transport to Kevin Trojanowski after its successful flight at Nebraska Heat 10. (Richard Burney)

THOR’s Hammer – Summer 2007 1 Club Officers September - November 2007 Calendar

PRESIDENT – Greg Rothman September Phone Number: (402) 891-5706 Event: Low Power Launch. E-mail: [email protected] When: Sunday the 2nd, Noon to ? Where: 1100 Lincoln Road, Papillion, NE. VICE PRESIDENT – Nathan Warner Fee: Free. Phone Number: N/A Description: Low power sport flying. E-mail: [email protected] Event: September Meeting. TREASURER – Thomas Kernes When: Tuesday the 4th, 7:00 to 10:00 PM. Phone Number: N/A Where: La Vista Community Center. E-mail: [email protected] Event: Balls 16 SECRETARY – Richard Burney When: Friday the 28th through Sunday the 30th. Phone Number: (402) 681-6337 Where: Black Rock Desert, NV. E-mail: [email protected] Description: The big, national, experimental high power rocket launch of the year! TRA NEBRASKA PREFECT – Kevin Trojanowski For More Information: http://www.balls16.com/ Phone Number: (402) 292-4101 E-mail: [email protected] Event: High Power Launch. When: Saturday the 15th, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. NAR SECTION #562 LEADER – Greg Rothman Where: Pickrell, NE. Ceiling: 15,000’ MSL (13,650’ AGL). Window to 23,000’ MSL possible with 72+ hour advance notice. Fee: $5. Newsletter Editor - Richard Burney Description: High power and low power sport flying. For More Information: Check the rocketry hotline for any delays or cancellations if weather looks questionable.

THOR Rocketry Hotline October Event: October Meeting. When: Tuesday the 2nd, 7:00 to 10:00 PM. Where: La Vista Community Center. (402) 505-3721 Event: Low Power Launch. When: Sunday the 7th, Noon to ? Where: 1100 Lincoln Road, Papillion, NE. Internet Links of Interest Fee: Free. Description: Low power sport flying. http://www.nerocketry.org/ THOR’s official web page. Has information on our club, Event: Bob 2. launch dates, and history. When: Experimental day on Friday the 19th. High power commercial flying on Saturday the 20th and Sunday the http://www.tripoli.org/ 21st, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM (Noon to 5:00 on Friday). Home page for the Tripoli Rocketry Association. Where: Pickrell, NE. Ceiling: 15,000’ MSL (13,650’ AGL). Window to 23,000’ http://www.nar.org/index.html MSL possible with 72+ hour advance notice. Home page for the National Association of Rocketry. Fee: $10 for 1 day, $15 for 2; EX day is free. Description: THOR’s new annual three-day, high power, http://www.rocketryonline.com/ fall launch. Rocketry Online is an excellent source of model and high For More Information: Final details will be set by the power rocketry related news and information. October meeting.

http://www.the-rocketman.com/ Producer of some very excellent parachutes and rocket November Event: Low Power Launch. gear. Ky has been a long time supporter of THOR. th When: Sunday the 4 , Noon to ? http://www.giantleaprocketry.com/ Where: 1100 Lincoln Road, Papillion, NE. Giant Leap Rocketry has been THOR’s main vendor at our Fee: Free. high power launches since 2002. Description: Low power sport flying.

Event: November Meeting. http://www.kloudbusters.org/ th Home page for the K.L.O.U.D.Busters Tripoli Prefecture of When: Tuesday the 6 , 7:00 to 10:00 PM. the state of Kansas. Where: La Vista Community Center.

THOR’s Hammer – Summer 2007 2 when Columbia stopped here around 1985. For Space Shuttle Atlantis those of us in the Omaha area, this was obviously a Article and pictures by Richard Burney very great opportunity to personally see one of these spacecraft. Within an hour of finding out about this development, I was to get on base thanks to th On Sunday July 1st, Space Shuttle Atlantis one of my friends from the 55 RW and get some made a one day stop over at Offutt Air Force Base pictures (thanks, Daniel!). I also understand that a due to bad weather in Florida. The only other time few other THOR members were able to see it too.Ô one of the Shuttles made a stop over at Offutt was

Space Shuttle Atlantis on its special 747 carrier with Offutt’s control tower in the background.

Another view of Atlantis. Charring of the underside and browning of the white areas were obvious signs that Atlantis had just recently been into space and had gone through reentry. THOR’s Hammer – Summer 2007 3

Nebraska Heat 10 Friday June 15th… Article by Richard Burney Pictures by Richard Burney, Rick Bosworth, and Bill As with our past Nebraska Heats, Friday Richardson was our designated Tripoli Research/Experimental flying day. Members who were there to either fly or were there just to watch started arriving during the (Note: This article along with plenty of pictures will late morning and early afternoon. Setup of the appear in the November/December 2007 issue of launch range and pads started around 12:30 and the Rockets magazine. This issue can be obtained via first flight took place just over an hour later. Three full subscription or as an individual back issue.) of THOR’s members flew a total of four flights that afternoon. Motors burned were as follows: G – 1, I Nebraska Heat – 10 and 10… – 1, J – 1, K – 1. Ironically, all the flights on our “Research” day were all commercial AeroTech and The summer of 2007 marked a number of Animal Motor Works motors! The flying conditions anniversaries for the “Nebraska Heat” name. Ten were pretty good that day. It was mostly sunny with years ago at LDRS 16 at Hartsel, Colorado, the a mix of clouds throughout the day with a high in the Tripoli Nebraska Prefecture, led up by Bruce Lee, low 90’s. Winds were in the 5 to 10 MPH range out flew a nine-motor clustered rocket which our team of the south/southeast. A portable weather station had christened Nebraska Heat. The rocket was provided by THOR member Doug Buhrman helped launched into the Colorado skies on a cluster of four keep track of temperature and wind speed and AeroTech J261’s followed by the immediate air- direction throughout the weekend. starting of a single AeroTech M1419 finished up with The first flight for Nebraska Heat 10 was by an air-started cluster of four AeroTech I284’s (only Tom Kernes right before 2:00. Tom flew his RCDP one of the I’s ended up firing). The size, complexity, Undecided on an AeroTech J415 with a PerfectFlite and power of this flight made the Nebraska Heat MAWD altimeter for recording altitude and for rocket the showstopper of LDRS 16. parachute deployment. The J415 took this sleek Besides being a Tripoli Nebraska project, rocket up to 7,259 feet. Just two hours later, Tom quite a few members of the Omaha area NAR was ready for another neck-breaking flight. This section, the Omaha Rocket Club, were involved with time it would be his veteran RCDP Flash on an this project and attended that LDRS. Because of the Animal Motor Works K570 with an ARTS and MAWD ever increasing intertwining of both groups’ activities, altimeters onboard. The K powered RCDP Flash at the beginning of 1998 both groups were brought reached 4,957 feet, just 43 feet shy of 5,000. Dual- together as one club – The Heartland Organization staged-deployment brought it in for a close landing. of Rocketry (THOR). During 1998, THOR would Tom has flown his RCDP Flash numerous times hold its first two multi-day, regional launches: Fire here in Nebraska and out in Nevada. He has flown on the Farm that April at Breda, Iowa and Nebraska a mix of K’s, L’s, and M’s in this rocket and has Heat which took place in October at our main field reached altitudes over 15,000 feet. Besides being near Pickrell, Nebraska. The Nebraska Heat launch one tough, high performing rocket it is also very not only commemorated the big rocket which help beautifully finished, too. brought our current club into existence, but that very Denis Gilbert flew the second flight of the first Nebraska Heat served as a memorial launch for day. His North Coast Rocketry Lance Beta was THOR member Bruce Furan who died earlier in the flown straight up on an AeroTech G64. The rocket year. After a second Nebraska Heat was held in landed in the nearby weeds right off to the west and October 1999, all subsequent Nebraska Heats was successfully recovered. This would be the start would be held in the summer time months; definitely of a good weekend of flying for Denis. more appropriate for the sake of the event’s name! Don Rice had the final flight of the day With nine Nebraska Heat events under our around 4:30. Don had a PML AMRAAM 3 which he belt, the tenth Nebraska Heat arrived on the had bought from his friend and fellow coworker, weekend of Friday June 15th through Sunday the Mark Havel, sometime ago. For most of this decade, 17th. As with all of our past Nebraska Heats, it was Mark Havel was very active in our club and came to held at our field just to the east of Pickrell, Nebraska. many of our high power launches. Tragically, Mark After having mixed weather at our model rocket and died as the result of a stroke last November. Don high power events so far this year, Nebraska Heat flew Mark’s old AMRAAM 3 up to an altitude of 10 turned out to be a great, albeit hot, weekend for 3,305 feet; a nice tribute to our deceased friend. flying… guess we couldn’t call it Nebraska Heat if it With flying over for the day, the launch wasn’t going to be hot! Over the next few pages are control equipment was stored away in the club trailer. the stories of some of the rockets that were flown at Greg Rothman would stay the next two nights in his this Nebraska Heat and the rocketeers who flew camper out in our field. The rest of us either headed them. home or over to nearby Beatrice for lodging there.

THOR’s Hammer – Summer 2007 4

Tom Kernes’ AeroTech J415 powered RCDP Undecided was the first flight for Nebraska Heat 10. (Burney)

THOR’s Hammer – Summer 2007 5

Denis Gilbert flew his NCR Lance Beta on an AeroTech G64. (Burney)

THOR’s Hammer – Summer 2007 6 Saturday, June 15th… Congratulations, Scott! Latter on in the day Scott would wrap things up by flying his PML Callisto on Day two marked the first of the two an AeroTech G80. commercial flying days for Nebraska Heat 10. Like Though flying had gone well so far this day, with virtually all of THOR’s other multi-day, regional this would be the start of a rough afternoon for Bill launches Saturday would be the busiest day for the Richardson and his rockets. Bill and his grandson weekend. 23 rocketeers would fly a total of 37 Steven Sanderford flew his replica of the PML flights during the daytime and an additional 5 flights Endeavor on an Animal Motor Works J440 Blue would take place at the night launch that evening. Baboon motor just after noon. Almost as soon as Motors burned at the daytime launch were as follows: Bill’s rocket hit the air, both ends of the rocket had B – 1, C – 2, D – 1, E – 1, F – 3, G – 6, H – 9, I – 5, flames coming out and it spun in the air like a J – 4, K – 4, L – 1. At the night launch 4 Estes black firework. The fin canister, payload section, and the powder motors and an AeroTech E composite motor tattered parachutes dropped to the ground. Other were flown. Like the day before, it was a hot day in then the parachutes being a little messed up and the lower 90’s with a mix of clouds and sun. As for what I assume was some serious internal scorching, the winds it was an even calmer day with the wind the rocket looked fine and probably fixable. Bill’s mainly around 5 MPH or slightly higher. Other then misfortunes continued later in the day when he flew the heat it was a great day for some flying! While his other Endeavor-styled rocket called Survivor on flying was going on, Greg Rothman’s wife Lisa and an AMW K570 White Wolf motor. The rocket was daughter Caitlin along with Sherri Bosworth provided loaded with electronics including an Olsen altimeter, hot dogs, chips, and pop for the hungry and thirsty a Missile Works RRC2 altimeter, and two video rocketeers. Of the $252 made from the Nebraska cameras. After its flight, Bill’s rocket could not be Heat launch, $135 of that alone was made from food found. In the weeks since Nebraska Heat 10, Bill sales. And as for the craving of us rocketeers has made several trips down to our field and has wanting some motors and other rocketry supplies, scoured the area desperately looking for this rocket those needs were satisfied by Giant Leap Rocketry’s which has a lot of time and money invested into it. own Kent Burnett. Kent made the drive up from Good luck, Bill! Kansas that morning and had a tent set up for Giant As the afternoon progressed, Joe Michel Leap Rocketry all day. flew what was truly the most unique and one of the As for the flights themselves, the first flight best looking rockets at this launch. A few years ago, of the day took place right before 11:00. George Joe built a 2.6x upscale of the classic Estes Orbital Conner and his brother Barry, AKA “Team Nitrus”, Transport including its piggyback glider. Joe has started things off with a small, minimum diameter flown this rocket a few times now at our launches. rocket called Single Use Only powered by an Like on its past flights, Joe went with the AeroTech AeroTech G80. At a push of a button this rocket H128 to power his creation. Just like before, the was never seen again. Single use only? Indeed! Orbital Transport rose straight up slowly and To really liven things up, Barry soon brought out his majestically. Unlike the previous flights this one LOC Minie Magg called Ride the Lightning. Besides almost ended in disaster. As Joe would later recall, sporting a beautiful black finish with lightning streaks he went with the longer 10 second delay instead of going along the sides, Barry’s Minie Magg was the regular 6 second delay that he usually went with souped up to take an AeroTech J570 and it was this motor. After apogee the Orbital Transport even configured for dual-staged deployment. At started building up speed on its way down and it liftoff, Ride the Lightning streaked into the sky and look like it was going to meet its end. With just a few reached an altitude of 4,700 feet. Dual-staged hundred feet to spare, the ejection charge went off parachute deployment controlled by a PerfectFlite and Joe’s Orbital Transport was spared a grizzly end. altimeter brought Ride the Lightning in for a close Even with the high speed ejection, there was no landing. Barry would later take Ride the Lightning to zipper to the airframe and the glider came down on its limit by flying it on the new AeroTech I1299 Warp- its own. It would have been awful if anything had 9 motor to 1,400 feet. What would LOC think of one happened to this masterpiece of a rocket. Joe also of their Minie Maggs being abused in such a way got in a flight with his souped up, high power (*wink*)? George Conner also flew his own Minie incarnation of the Estes Shadow. With an AeroTech Magg, AKA the Tabasco Bomb, on one of the new I300, Joe’s Shadow reached an altitude of 3,210 feet. AeroTech I364 Black Max motors. The drogue parachute deployed at apogee and the Soon after George and Barry’s Single Use main deployed at 500 feet. More can be seen of Only rocket had flown, Scott Weihe got his own first Joe’s rockets at his personal webpage - flight of the day in with his AeroTech Mustang kit on http://geocities.com/jm44316/ . a single use E30 motor. Just about two hours later Rick Bosworth had the most flights of Scott would do his Level 1 Certification flight with a anyone (four of them) of anyone on Saturday and PML Tethys kit flown on an AeroTech H123. The that was not including his two flights at the night flight went flawlessly and the rocket landed just a launch. Rick started off by flying his scratch-built matter of feet away from the launch pad. Red Rogue on a HyperTEK J330. Red Rogue THOR’s Hammer – Summer 2007 7 reached an altitude of about 2,100 feet. Rick has inches tall, a 54mm minimum diameter airframe, flown his Red Rogue numerous times at our weighing just over 10 pounds, and powered by a launches over the last few years. Rick next flew his Pro54 L730, this had the potential of flying even Estes Canadian Arrow on a D12. Heading back into higher. Unfortunately, Scott’s rocket came apart at the realm of high power, Rick flew his stretched PML 5,800 feet. This L motor was the most powerful Bullpuppy on an AeroTech H128. To wrap things up flight of the weekend. for the day, Rick flew his heavily modified Estes THOR’s new president, Greg Rothman, got Mean Machine on an AeroTech F24 reload. Not in a few flights himself during the day. Greg started content with the original design, Rick beefed up his things off by flying his Vaughn Brothers BoB on an Mean Machine to take more power and he added a AeroTech G64; since our three-day launch in larger set of fins not unlike on what is on the October is called “Bob” I wonder if this is a AeroTech Mirage. Maybe he should have called this coincidence (*wink*)? Greg also had a new, 120 the Mirage Junior instead (*wink*)? inch long, 54mm minimum diameter rocket which he Jim Scott of the Des Moines, Iowa area had was trying out for the first time. The motor for this been a member of the now defunct Iowa Society Of flight would be a HyperTEK I222. As soon as the Amateur Rocketeers (I-SOAR) and had come to rocket launched, the two halves of the rocket some of our launches in the past. Due to his wife’s separated. The rocket thrashed around for a second illness, Jim was put on the rocketry sidelines for the or two in the air and dropped back to the ground. last five years. With this being Jim’s return to high Before it hit the ground, the parachute fully deployed power rocketry, Jim was going to attempt to renew and Greg’s rocket was okay. Apparently there was BOTH his Level 1 and 2 Certifications in one day. a problem with the Magnetic Apogee Deployment Jim started off by flying his Rocketman Space Hawk device onboard causing the parachute to deploy at on an AeroTech H123. Level 1 – accomplished! launch. Later on in the afternoon, Jim prepared his LOC I- Terry Smemo of Kansas City, Missouri is roc for his Level 2 flight on an AeroTech J350. known for some of his bizarre rockets and his sense Liftoff of Jim’s I-roc was impressive and the rocket of humor… Nebraska Heat 10 was no exception! soared a few thousand feet into the air, but after Terry’s first flight was a rocket he called The Picnic apogee no parachute ever came out and the rocket Rocket; it was built from a picnic set he got from entered a flat spin and hit the ground hard causing Wal-Mart. The Picnic Rocket was flown successfully some damage. Later on in the evening as Jim and I on a Roadrunner G80 motor and landed just a few examined his motor casing, I discovered that some feet from the launch pads. Terry’s next rocket was debris, possibly from when he used the forward end even more over the top. Terry had taken some piece on his H123 flight, had clogged the hole various plastic toy parts (the flight card did say the between the delay element and the ejection charge. manufacturer was Fisher Price…) and made a This was very likely the reason why his charge did finless rocket which used its large oval base to not go off. It is definitely a good idea to thoroughly create its stability. A long tube led to the “nosecone” clean and inspect your reload hardware after each on top. The parachute was packed into the clear flight. Level 2 – to be achieved another day! plastic section of the nosecone. The motor for this Denis Gilbert’s single flight of the day would flight was an AeroTech H242. The initial part of the be his greatest achievement to date. Denis has flight for this finless rocket went well, but the clear flown his Super Bee rocket on J motors in the past, plastic nosecone came loose and the parachute but today was going to mark his first K motor. A deployed prematurely. The parachute then HyperTEK K240 took Denis’ Super Bee to 2,844 feet. proceeded to detach itself from the rest of the rocket A drogue chute was deployed at apogee and the and floated away. The remainder of the rocket main parachute deployed at 800 feet above the bounced off the ground denting the main “egg”, er ground and the Super Bee landed just off to the east body, itself. Terry is confident that it will be fixed up of the launch range. Great flight, Denis! Denis is quickly and he plans on reflying it at AIRFest 13 on hoping to do his Level 3 flight in the upcoming Labor Day weekend. months. How about the author of this article? While Don Rice’s single flight of the day was also all the other flights were going on and occasionally the highest flown at Nebraska Heat 10. Don Rice’s taking some pictures, I was preparing my rocket Rice II: Return from the Ashes stood 100 which has been a veteran of two LDRS’s, one inches tall, 3 inches in diameter, and weighed 13.6 AIRFest, and numerous launches here at our own pounds fully loaded. Rice Burner II reached an field: Mobile Rocket Gundam. Mobile Rocket altitude of 13,585 feet on a long burning Loki K350 Gundam is named, painted, and decorated in motor. Don has broken the 10,000 foot mark at our commemoration of the Japanese animated classic field numerous times on a variety of K and L Mobile Suit Gundam. Standing at 91 inches tall, 7.5 motors… and occasionally those K and L motors inches in diameter, weighing well over 25 pounds, a have broke his rockets! The only other flight that central AeroTech K1100 motor, and with three air- could have challenged Don’s altitude was Scott started AeroTech H148 Redline motors, this was Chaffin’s rocket called Harley. Standing at 84 THE biggest and most complex flight of the weekend. THOR’s Hammer – Summer 2007 8 At about 4:00 in the afternoon, the Gundam rocket fired without any problems. After all the extra hours was finally set up on a pad ready for flight. The of work, it was a disappointment that my second central K1100 quickly took this large rocket into the attempt at air-starting composite motors didn’t work, air. After motor burnout, we all waited for the H’s to but when I consider that I had such an otherwise light in midair, but the air-starts never came. seamless flight and recovery of such a big rocket Gundam reached an altitude of 1,292 feet. and that it’s ready to fly again, I consider that a Parachute deployment happened at apogee and the success in my book. rocket gently settled to the ground several hundred With flying pretty much done, the range was feet to the north. Why didn’t the H motors fire? This closed at about 4:30. A bunch of us headed back to was the first time that I had used speaker wire to act the Super China Buffet in Beatrice where we had as short cut from the altimeter bay down to the dinner and had a good time talking about the day’s igniters for the motors; on it’s L730 plus triple I285 events. The Super China Buffet has been our main flight at LDRS last year, I had the igniters for the I’s gathering spot on weekends such as our Nebraska directly connected to the two PET2 timers and Heat launch for many years. A few hours later we everything fired just fine. This modification was gathered back at the field for some night flying. Both meant to make hookup in the field easier, but Greg Rothman and Rick Bosworth had a variety of apparently the PET2 timers weren’t able to send the rockets they flew on Estes black powder motors and proper amount of current through this setup; the even an AeroTech E motor. Through the use of electric matches for the ejection charges which were glow sticks and flashing LED lights, Greg and Rick hooked directly to the RRC2 and one of the PET2’s were able to find their rockets out in the dark field.

Scott Weihe prepares his AeroTech Mustang for one of the first flights of the day. (Burney)

THOR’s Hammer – Summer 2007 9

Gerorge (left) and Barry Connor flew Barry’s LOC Minie Magg, Ride the Lightning, on an AeroTech J570. The J570 took this Minie Magg to 4,700 feet. (Insets – Burney, Main – Bosworth) THOR’s Hammer – Summer 2007 10

Jim Scott and his family pose with Jim’s rocket fleet. (Burney)

What’s with the gloves? Bill Richardson flew his dual-video camera rocket on an Animal Motor Works K570. Unfortunately the rocket was not and has yet to be found. (Richardson)

THOR’s Hammer – Summer 2007 11

Joe Michel flew his 2.6x upscale of the Estes Orbital Transport on an AeroTech H128. (Burney)

THOR’s Hammer – Summer 2007 12

Dinner at the Super China Buffet in Beatrice. (Burney)

Night launch back at the field that evening. (Burney) THOR’s Hammer – Summer 2007 13 Sunday, June 17th… smallest Nebraska Heat held to date. Why would that be? During the last decade we have seen quite Sunday turned out to be the “worst” day of a few members come and go; some have left the the event in that it was windier then the last two days hobby, some have left the area (like our longtime and since a lot of people are either at church, with former president Bruce Lee), and sadly some have their families, or simply had gotten in their share of even died. In my own personal case, I am one of flying on Friday and Saturday, there simply was not the last few THOR members who got involved in the much of an attendance. But even then we had a mid 1990’s before the Omaha Rocket Club and good time. Six rocketeers got in a total of nine Tripoli Nebraska joined together as THOR. And of flights. Motors burned were as follows: A – 2, B – 2, course the ever increasing pressure from the ATF C – 2, G – 2, H – 1. The winds were blowing and other branches of our government have driven generally out of the south in the low to mid teens. people out of this hobby and have scared new Once again there was a mix of clouds and sun, but people from checking out high power model rocketry the wind did help make it feel more comfortable and period. But even in the shadow of all these kept the flies off our backs. negatives, this turned to be a great weekend for The first flight of the day was Scott Chaffin’s those of us who did fly. Also looking back at all the Hawk Mountain Raptor, nicknamed Arfy Barf, which flight numbers, over half of the flights (28 of them) was flown on an AeroTech H268 Redline motor. were H motors and above; I would have to say this This would be the only high power flight of the day. turned out to be a pretty solid high power rocketry With the rocket being a 29mm minimum diameter event. With monthly high power launches being airframe and weighing just two-and-a-half pounds, if held by our group from March to November and that you blinked when this rocket took off you would have two teams led by our own Kevin Trojanowski have missed it. After Scott got his rocket back, its built a 1/5th scale III and a new 1/3rd scale PerfectFlite MAWD altimeter gave off an altitude Mercury Redstone which will fly in the near future, reading of 5,915 feet. Very impressive for this little high power model rocketry is alive and well in rocket! southeast Nebraska/southwest Iowa. After things had ended on a sour note for As I conclude the story of Nebraska Heat 10, Jim Scott’s Level 2 flight the afternoon before, Jim I would like to give my thanks to all who helped in got in one more good flight for the weekend. Jim the planning and running of this launch, some of our flew his Loc IV on a G80 (either the AeroTech or female members who provided lunch on Saturday, Roadrunner version). The Loc IV shot up in the air, Kent Burnett of Giant Leap Rocketry for making the drifted over the hillside to the north, and was trip up to our event, and of course all of those who recovered soon afterwards. Jim’s daughter Briana came out to fly with us that weekend. I also want to got in a flight with an Estes Sky Writer (looks like a extend my gratitude to Elmer and Virginia Harms for big pencil) on a C6-5. their graciousness in letting our club use their farm Rick Bosworth got in a few more flights on land for the last 12 years. Hopefully we will have Sunday making him the most active flyer by having a use of this land for many more years to come. total of eight flights for this Nebraska Heat. Rick flew I hope to see most or all of you at Nebraska his Estes Gemini DC on a C6-5. Rick also reflew his Heat 11 in the spring of 2008!Ô PML Bullpuppy this time on an AeroTech G64. This would be one of the last flights of the day. Greg Rothman held a drag race between two scratch-built rockets of his powered by A8-3’s. Greg then immediately flew his Estes Baby Bertha on a B6-4. This would be the last flight of the day. Greg’s daughter Lisa also flew a B6-4 powered rocket that morning. With all flying finished by 1:00, the rest of the time was spent shooting the breeze and finishing up the remaining food and pop from the day before. Disassembly and takedown of the launch pads, controllers, PA system, and the RSO/LCO/Registration tent took place around 2:00. Another Nebraska Heat was history!

Conclusion…

During the three days of Nebraska Heat 10, a total of 55 flights took place. Compared to some of our past Nebraska Heats where we would have Rick Bosworth preps his PML Bullpuppy. had well over 100 flights, this was actually the (Burney) THOR’s Hammer – Summer 2007 14

Drag race between two of Greg Rothman’s rockets. (Burney)

THOR’s Hammer – Summer 2007 15 As for the fate of this fine rocket, it has Nebraska Heat Rocket 10 Year remained at the home of Nebraska Heat project member Mike Wrobel for most of the last 10 years. Anniversary This past fall, I borrowed the rocket for a few months Article and pictures by Richard Burney in order to see what it would take to bring it back to flying condition. The main issues would involve

replacing one of the body tube sections that was On August 9th, 1997 the Nebraska Heat zippered on its single flight, making the rocket less rocket that was built by members of the Tripoli bound to be zippered by it recovery harness, an Nebraska Prefecture and the Omaha Rocket Club update to its electrical layout, and some other minor was flown at LDRS 16 at Hartsel, Colorado. repairs. Other then those repair issues this rocket is Nebraska Heat stood at 14 feet tall, 11.4 inches in pretty much ready to be flown again. diameter, weighed 100+ pounds and was powered But since this rocket was built pre-THOR by a cluster of a central AeroTech M1419, four J261 and was managed by Bruce Lee, there has been hybrids, and four I284’s. The size, power, and some controversy regarding who has control and complexity of this rocket made this the showstopper authority over the rocket. It has been suggested that of LDRS 16; showing how much has changed in the the rocket be sold not only to raise money for the hobby over the past decade, a rocket like the club, but so that the new owner would be able have Nebraska Heat would be pretty much considered full control over the rocket as they saw fit. “just another LDRS project” if it were flown at an For those wanting to see the full story of the LDRS today. For those involved it was a great Nebraska Heat rocket, hunt down a copy of the May group project and there’s no doubt that this rocket 1998 issue of High Power Rocketry magazine.Ô was instrumental in helping bring about the creation of THOR as a joint NAR/Tripoli group.

The Nebraska Heat rocket as seen ready to fly on August 9th, 1997 at LDRS 16. Most of the project members are in this group picture; only a few are actively involved with THOR today. Back row (left to right): Arley Davis, Rob Skiba, Scott Meinhardt, Ken Uhlenkamp, Dale Miller, and Richard Burney. Front row (left to right): Steve White (of the KLOUDBusters, he was our Level 3 team member), Tony Cochran, Bruce Lee (project leader), Mark Uhlenkamp, Larry Drake, and Mike Wrobel.

THOR’s Hammer – Summer 2007 16

Most of the surviving airframe components as seen this past January. (Left to right) Fin canister and electronics bay, nosecone, central “payload” section, and the remaining half of the body tube that attached to the fin canister. The construction of most of this rocket took place between February and July 1997.

The business end of the Nebraska Heat. The rocket has a central 98mm motor mount, four 54mm motor mounts, and four 38mm motor mounts. The unscorched areas where the threaded rods are sticking out were the footprints of the specially machined aluminum motor retention hardware.

THOR’s Hammer – Summer 2007 17 solar wind. Voyager 1 has traveled all the way from the bubble’s heart to its outer edge, a gassy membrane dividing the solar system from interstellar space. This “membrane” is the heliosheath. Before Voyager 1 reached its present location, researchers had calculated what the http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/en/kids/ heliosheath might be like. “Many of our predictions Staggering Distance were wrong,” says Stone. In situ, Voyager 1 has encountered unexpected magnetic anomalies and a By Dr. Tony Phillips surprising increase in low-energy cosmic rays, among other things. It’s all very strange—“and we’re Tonight, when the sun sets and the twilight not even out of the Solar System yet.” fades to black, go outside and look southwest. To report new developments, Voyager There’s mighty Jupiter, gleaming brightly. It looks so radios Earth almost every day. At the speed of light, nearby, yet Jupiter is 830 million km away. Light the messages take 14 hours to arrive. Says Stone, from the sun takes 43 minutes to reach the giant “it’s worth the wait.” planet, and for Earth’s fastest spaceship, New Keep up with the Voyager mission at Horizons, it’s a trip of 13 months. voyager.jpl.nasa.gov. To learn the language of Voyager’s messages, kids (of all ages) can check That’s nothing. out spaceplace.nasa.gov/en/kids/vgr_fact1.shtml . This article was provided by the Jet Not far to the left of Jupiter is Pluto. Oh, you Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of won’t be able to see it. Tiny Pluto is almost 5 billion Technology, under a contract with the National km away. Sunlight takes more than 4 hours to get Aeronautics and Space Administration.Ô there, and New Horizons 9 years. From Pluto, the sun is merely the brightest in a cold, jet-black In case it is ever found by intelligent beings sky. elsewhere in the , Voyager carries a recording of images and sounds of Earth and its That’s nothing. inhabitants. The diagrams on the cover of the recording symbolize Earth’s location in the A smidgen to the right of Pluto, among the galaxy and how to play the record. stars of the constellation Ophiuchus, is Voyager 1. Launched from Florida 29 years ago, the spacecraft is a staggering 15 billion km away. It has traveled beyond all the known planets, beyond the warmth of the sun, almost beyond the edge of the solar system itself.

Now that’s something.

“On August 15, 2006, Voyager 1 reached the 100 AU mark—in other words, it is 100 times farther from the Sun than Earth,” says Ed Stone, Voyager project scientist and the former director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “This is an important milestone in our exploration of the Solar System. No other spacecraft has gone so far.” At 100 AU (astronomical units), Voyager 1 is in a strange realm called “the heliosheath.” As Stone explains, our entire solar system—planets and all—sits inside a giant bubble of gas called the heliosphere. The sun is responsible; it blows the bubble by means of the

THOR’s Hammer – Summer 2007 18 Bob 2 launch in October. THOR Meeting Minutes Dan Cramer has been busy with his RC Compiled by Richard Burney, Secretary aircraft activities. Pictures by Richard Burney Mark and Theresa Weiss are introduced to the club. Mark had found out about our club because of the issues of THOR’s Hammer available THOR Meeting Minutes 7/3/07 at the La Vista HobbyTown. Arley Davis finally had cleared enough Attendance: Richard Burney, Arley Davis, Jacob space in his basement to start building rockets again. Davis, Lisa Rothman, Greg Rothman and Denis Arley shows some of his recent acquisitions. Arley Gilbert. makes a presentation regarding the various body tube types that are available on the market along Meeting starts at 19:10. with their pros and cons. Andrew Wimmer talks about what he has With not so many people here this evening, been up to this summer. Andrew shows the rocket we just do a simple show-and-tell and discussion. he and his team had built and flown for the Student Richard Burney shows the latest issue of Launch Initiative. The rocket may end up on Rockets magazine. Richard gives some of the display at his school. statistics from Nebraska Heat 10. Greg Rothman talks about his LDRS 26 Greg Rothman reports that $252 was made experiences. Greg shows the digital pictures he from Nebraska Heat 10; $135 of that was from food took. Greg passes around some of the HyperTek sales. gear he used for those flights including the remains Due to the proximity of LDRS 26 and the from his one M flight that catoed. availability of some members, the July high power event in the Saturday that Bob2 is launch has been moved to the 28th. taking place. Request for those who can to help with this event. Meeting adjourned at 19:37. Meeting adjourned at 21:10.Ô THOR Meeting Minutes 8/7/07

Attendance: Richard Burney, Lisa Rothman, Greg Rothman, Andrew Wimmer, Arley Davis, Dan Andrew Wimmer presents the rocket his team Cramer, Denis Gilbert, Doug Buhrman, John McAtee, built and flew for the Student Launch Initiative. Mark Weiss and Theresa Weiss.

Meeting starts at 19:10.

Richard Burney talks about the plans he had for doing his Level 3 at AIRFest 13 on Labor Day weekend, but due to some unforeseen events in the last few days he will have to forgo on those plans and do his Level 3 at a future event. Rich also mentions that an article that he wrote about Nebraska Heat 10 will appear in a future issue of Rockets magazine. John McAtee is introduced to the group. Doug Buhrman has modified a PML Quasar for dual- staged deployment. This is Doug’s first dual-staged rocket. Has another PML rocket he will be building soon. Doug recently modified our high power rocket controller with an extra outlet. Denis Gilbert is planning on doing his Level 3 flight at our

THOR’s Hammer – Summer 2007 19 THOR Membership Application Personal Information

Name:______

Address:______

City:______What is THOR?

The Heartland Organization of Rocketry (THOR) State:______Zip Code:______is both an officially sanctioned Prefecture of the Tripoli Rocketry Association (Tripoli Nebraska #46) and Section Phone Number:______(#562) of the National Association of Rocketry. THOR strictly adheres to the safety guidelines established by both rocketry associations. E-mail:______THOR has been actively involved in the hobby of model rocketry (low power, high power, and experimental) in southeast Nebraska and southwest Iowa since the early Hobby Information 1990’s. THOR members, along with their projects, have appeared on national television programs such as Master How long have you been in model rocketry:______Blasters (The SciFi Channel), Rocket Challenge (The Discovery Channel), Extreme Machines (The Learning Do you belong to a national rocketry organization - enter Channel), Junkyard Wars (TLC), and Ripley’s Believe It your membership number to the applicable organization: Or Not (TBS). NAR#______TRA#______When and where does THOR meet? Are you certified for high power rocketry – check mark

your applicable TRA and/or NAR Certification Level: Meetings are usually held the first Tuesday of the month at the La Vista Community Center at 8116 Parkview St., La Vista, NE – turn east at the Sinclair Gas Level 1______Level 2______Level 3______Station on 84th St. and go a block east (look for the big US flag). Visitors are welcome to attend. Membership Rates

When and where does THOR fly? Half year membership rates will be divided by 2 and will add $1. Write you check payable to “The Heartland From March through November, THOR conducts Organization of Rocketry” or “THOR”. Mail check and at least one high power launch (1/4A – N class) each form to the below address or bring to the next meeting. month. High power launches are held east of Pickrell, NE which is 30 miles south of Lincoln. THOR conducts at Family Membership - $36 least 3 three-day high power rocketry events each year. A Senior Membership (18 and over) - $24 low power sport launch is held the 1st Sunday each month Junior Membership (18 and under) - $12 at the old golf range on West Lincoln Street just west of Correspondence Membership (members 84th Street (South Washington Street) in Papillion, NE. over 50 miles away from Omaha) - $10

THOR’s Hammer… I agree to comply with THOR’s policies as pertains to the safety guidelines set forth by Tripoli and the THOR’s Hammer is the official newsletter of NAR. Failure to do so or conduct deemed THOR. On average, it is published on a quarterly basis. unbecoming may result in expulsion from the club. THOR’s Hammer is available, in PDF format, through its website (http://www.nerocketry.org/) or is mailed to Signature:______those without Internet access. Members are welcomed to contribute articles and pictures to the newsletter. Dated:______For additional information… The Heartland Organization of Rocketry For any additional questions or to check on the 625 Walnut Street status of an upcoming launch, call THOR locally at (402) 505-3721 (there is a voice mail option at the end of the Hickman, NE 68372 message). Interested parties may also write their inquiries to the address at the right and are also welcome to contact Membership in The Heartland Organization of any of THOR’s officers. Rocketry is open to all interested parties.

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