July 17^th, 1999 Launch

Katy bought me a model rocket kit for my birthday, after hearing me mention how I had built a few as a child.

After building the kit - an Estes Sabre -we took it out for a test flight

First, our high-tech carrying case ( a cardboard box )

The next step was to put the rocket on the launch pad

Then, the engine is armed with the ignitor

Well, we seem to be missing a picture of the actual launch, so here we have the aftermath...

Rich picks up the rocket after a successful flight!

Ooops. Some of the engine gases escaped past the wadding in the rocket, and melted a small hole in the recovery streamer.

The day was rather windy, and I didn't want to risk having the rocket come down in the trees along our launching field, so we'll have to wait for a calmer day to launch again.