The L is for fifty large rockets that roared aloft at NASA’s Student Launch Program April 13 in the culmination of a year of long work by the student teams. The weather was beautiful with a clear calm sky allowing the easy flight and recovery of big birds on big motors. With the manifest exceeding last year’s number of 48 rockets the range crew of HARA members and NAR dignataries had a long day (from 6am to 5pm.) All flights were made safely and most were very impressive. Results of the competition will be announced in another month.

After monthly launch cancellations from rain, cold, and rain again the wind was not going to deter HARA from getting out to the field February 24 on a mild sunny day. The brisk 10-15 mph breeze was challenging but flyable with a lot of fun, successful flights. The crowd was only a fair number attending and the range was done by early afternoon. The biggest motor flown of the day was the ‘L’ from UAH and then all the letters of the alphabet on down with everyone else. The next launch is scheduled for March 9 and may be the last of the season.

Photos by Drew Brackett, Patrick Morrison, Keith Nyman, and Greg Zsidisin.

More photos on the HARA facebook page- https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064693116419

HARA’s November launch was a full day with 74 flights. An overcast sky hung over the range to discourage reaching for high altitudes but many flyers reached for and got their HPR certification. The day was treated by at least a half dozen rocketeers from the Birmingham Rocket Boys section who pilgrimmed up to fly. Families and student teams also enjoyed the mild temps and light winds with their flighs. Besides the big rockets there were scale models, odd rocs, gliders and gadgets. Pictures by Nick Boone, Debra Cook, Vince Huegele and Patrick Morrison. See more pictures at the HARA facebook page and the BRB page.https://www.facebook.com/BRB665

12 L1 Cert Flights    1 L2 Cert Flight

The employees of Huntsville’s Blue Origin Engine Production facility had a family space day with HARA launching their rockets. It was a prodigious honor to provide the launch services for a local professional rocket company, or rather, their children. Blue Origin made the field arrangements at Research Park, got the motors and kits for their kids to build at home with their parents and then brought them out for HARA to launch on the club’s range equipment. The kits were mostly Wizards and Alphas on “A” motors so a single rack pad handled all the flights. About 60 rockets were launched by the seven club members supporting the event, including some of our own spooky Halloween models because it was late October and that’s when those fly. The warmer than average temps and light wind made the afternoon flying great. Although Jeff Bezos was reportedly in Huntsville that week he did not stay for the HARA launch. From the favorable family response this event may be held again next year. For more pictures go to the HARA facebook page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064693116419

The local rocket team from UAH outscored dozens of other schools to win the NASA University Student Launch Initiative (USLI.) Multiyear champion Vanderbilt was third. The results were announced a month after the April launch day. To be number one UAH consistently scored well in the sub categories: first in payload design, second in safety, third in vehicle design, altitude and outreach. The UAH team were regular flyers at HARA launches this year testing their rocket and certifying their team members. Congratulations!