NSL is here in time and space. Time, as in soon. Space, as in physically on our field. HARA, with help from MC2 and SOAR, is hosting the sport rocketry world for a three day fun launch. It’s not specifically an education launch like TARC or SLI and in no way a competition like NARAM. It’s just the celebration of rocketry in low, medium and high power. Come out for a day or all three, but don’t miss the flying circus that is the NSL. http://www.nar.org/site/nsl2016/
HARA gambled with the forecast on the Saturday morning TARC launch, March 12, and won, but had few takers. Two teams made one practice flight each at Bragg’s farm in calm air beating the rain that came later that afternoon. The HOPE Rising team from HOPE Christian Academy and the Falcon Rocketeers from St.John Paul ll Catholic High School were each represented by a single student who burned a motor to fly eggs. Duane Mayer burned several motors although the chuffing performance of a bad F threw his bird lamely into the air off the rail and then on to the ground where it fizzled until it popped. He had better luck on another flight with his Jolly Logic Chute Release which worked well.
HARA’s launching looked better Monday March 7 at the Columbia Elementary demonstration. Elliot and Vince fired about a dozen small rockets before a crowd of about 700 students, which was the entire school population short of the kindergarten. The flights generally went well except for the one that drifted onto the school roof. The children were sufficiently hyped by the rocket countdowns to be useless in class for the rest of the day, but spring break is pending anyway.
NASA Administrator, Charles Bolden, delivered a “State of NASA” address at Langley Research Center today. In that address, Administrator Bolden reflects of NASA’s accomplishments and shares our nation’s vision for the future. President Obama proposed a FY2017 budget would fund NASA at 19.3 billion dollar, an investment that will ensure the SLS, ISS, science, technology, and commercial programs stay the course on our human journey towards Mars. Check out the details of the NASA budget proposal.
The latest, and final revision of the NSL 2016 art infuses the heritage of several space and defense entities. Can you guess a few?
Lets list them out.
Your 2016 HARA Officers are as follow:
President: Chuck Pierce
Vice President: Daniel Cavender
Treasurer: Duane Mayer
NAR Advisor: Vince Huegele
Secretary (NAR and TRA): Elliot Laramie
TRA Prefect: Art Woodling
A message from the President:
As HARA has a lot things cooking this year, especially with NSL coming up in May, I agreed to serve another single-year term as president. I greatly appreciate the others stepping up to (or continuing in) leadership positions. This is a great group of core members of HARA that have a real zeal for rocketry and for our club. I request that all HARA members please give these officers your support and to be willing help out in local outreach, equipment maintenance, and range support.
I think that you all know me pretty well. I’m a laid back, easy leader. I believe firmly that hobbies are to be fun, and it is my goal to keep this hobby fun for everyone. With the tragic model rocket accident that occurred late last year, there will probably be a bit more rigor in the RSO inspections, even for very small rockets. Please bear with the RSO and know that he/she is helping to maintain the high standards of safety that model rocketry has shown since the 1950s.
NSL will be here before we know it and we’re going to need a lot of help from our members to pull this off. Daniel Cavender is our NSL Director. He’ll soon be asking for help in filling jobs for NSL. Please be willing to help. Don’t be afraid to take on a job, even you don’t have much experience in that role. You learn by doing and we’ll gladly give you all of the training/support that you need.
If there is anything that I can do to help your growth, or fun, in model rocketry, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Best regards,
Chuck
Hello HARA Members, and Happy Holidays. We find ourselves at the end of another fun, safe, and exciting year for our little rocketry club. And, there is more to be excited about next year with NASA Student Launch, and the National Sport Launch. Our next club meeting will be on January 7th where we will hold 2016 officer elections, and continue our discussion of some pending bylaw amendments. All officer positions are up for grabs, and please, don’t be shy about stepping up for the big seat either ;-). But, without further delay, below is a summary of the meeting discussions from December 3rd.
Well, close enough… HARA is going to host the National Sport Launch on 2016 at Manchester TN launch site Memorial Day weekend. Look for announcements on the HARA website and the NSL website in the near future.
My October weekend calendar worked out quite miraculously to be totally full of rockets. The first Saturday had the club launch in Manchester scheduled but it was rained out and doesn’t really count. On the second Saturday I gave two talks on rocketry at the Space and Rocket Center for 4-H Space Day. In the 45 minute sessions I covered the origins of model rocketry, basic launching and egglofting with a pitch for TARC. Besides the 4-H families I was addressing I was also heard by incidental museum visitors who sat down for the show thinking it was part of their admission ticket. On the third weekend in one of the more exciting events of the year, HARA supported a UNA TARC workshop directed by Lee Brownell. This build and blast was an introduction to rocketry for 26 pending teams in north west Alabama. All the student rockets flew well. Bill Cooke gives details in his blog at http://billsrockets.blogspot.com/2015/10/tarc-session-at-university-of-north.html
On number four I was back to the SARC where I presented awards at the Reach For the Stars Ceremony as seen in the image above taken by Alan Lowrey, the Regional Director of AIAA. This chore is usually handled by Homer Hickam, but he was tied up on a book tour that day and asked me to cover this honor for him. The RFTS program brings the national winners of their model rocket contest to Huntsville every year for a memorable finale. Lastly, we had an impromptu Halloween launch on the fifth Saturday to burn off the final motors of the year. Bill covers the trick or treat action with spooky photos at http://billsrockets.blogspot.com/2015/10/a-short-halloween-launch.html Next month I’m back to having too much ‘life’ happening on weekends to do rocketry, but I was fortunate to get in a rare run for the end of the year.
For two years now, WLRH has allowed HARA to reach new audiences and people from across the Tennessee Valley have come to our meetings and launches as a result. Thank you WLRH for helping our club reach new heights.
We encourage members to make a donation (of any size) to show our support and appreciation here, and listen for our Public Service Announcement (PSA) on WLRH. I heard it again this morning.
