HARA was instrumental in the formation of the Student Launch Initiative 25 years ago. The MSFC education office wanted to start a student rocket launch, but those teachers and administrators didn’t have the technical knowledge to build and fly rockets. HARA did. A partnership began where MSFC would organize a program to recruit students but dependent on HARA to train those students and launch their rockets. This included HARA reviewing the proposals and progress reports, mentoring, inspecting and testing hardware, managing HP motors, approving the rockets for flight, and of course launching them. Despite MSFC being NASA, those space rocket scientists didn’t know the sport rocketry the students would use. It was fun, exciting and ground breaking for HARA to participate with NASA to fly HPR for education. As the program eventually grew with many more schools, NAR came in on the national level to provide additional appropriate support, but HARA was always involved as the local club. This year, our members were still on the field assisting the launch and helping the students. What started with three rockets and a few dozen kids has gone on to reach thousands of students with hundreds of flights. You aimed high, HARA.
The MSFC newsletter reports the first SLI launch.
Randolph HS’s rocket flies on a K250 to over a mile in 2001.
One of this year’s teams with their rocket.