The draft minutes for last Tuesday's SLRA meeting are below. Send any revisions to: secretary@stlouisrocketry.org

Attendees: (18) Charles Barnett, John Sullivan, Doug Probst, Chuck Meckfessel, Molly Meckfessel, Emma Meckfessel, Don Hanson, Larry Hileman, John Buckley, Jason Garbus, John O’Neill, Scott Nokes, Tanya Nokes, Chris Lageman, Skipton Eberhart, John Hilker, Rob Benton, Tim Gannon

Sunset Hills Bandana’s BBQ; 11750 Gravois Rd, Saint Louis, MO 63127

Called to order at 7:00

New Attendees:  None

Achievements and Contributions:

• None noted at this meeting.

22 April 2025 SLRA Meeting Minutes approved

Treasury Status

• Dan Cella not able to be present – info relayed via email
• Current Balance $2,058.20
• Deposits: $143.82 from PayPal for membership dues
• Expenses: $130.00 for storage and interpreter services.

SLRA Memberships Total = 2025 current total = 41.  (39 Senior/2 Junior Members)

Launch Reports:

• Mini-Midwest Power – Princeton, Illinois – Robert Benton flew Firestorm 54 on an Aerotech J350 to 5943’.  John Hilker – Flew 2.26” Black Brant to 4000’.  He also flew an Estes Nike Smoke on a G64.  Don Hanson flew a Nike Smoke on a J415 to 4441’, a Patriot on an L1256 to 8629’, and a ____ on a K805. 

Upcoming Launches

• Elsberry HP Launch – Next Fall.  Mike Walsh not able to be at this meeting.
• Buder Park Launch 31 May – weather looks promising.  Classic Estes Themed launch
• NARAM 23-29 June in Muncie, Indiana
• Don Hanson noted that the Thunderstruck group (Pence, Indiana) will be hosting the next LDRS. 

Old Business

• Joel recommends going to Club Express (CE) as the location for SLRA website.  

The website would contain information regarding club activities and serve as a site for maintaining records of club activities (i.e. Meetings, launch events, membership.  Photos and videos would be posted and maintained on the SLRA Facebook Page.  Joel will be contacting a Club Express Representative to obtain information on pricing and the process for transitioning the SLRA website to Club Express.  Note: Joel was not able to be present at this meeting. 

• GSLMA Status.  Doug Probst will be taking the reins on maintaining communication with Buder Park North Greater St. Louis Modeling Association members.  Nothing new on this item at this time. 
• SLRA Support for Wash U/SLU Rocketry Teams.  No Interest expressed (possibly Jason Garbus)
• SLRA Trailers
•             * Inventory needs to be taken for both trailers
•             * Possibly put lights in the trailer
•             * Roof damage on HP Trailer from hail storm
•             * Don Hanson has the HP trailer and will be taking it to Mike Walsh’s house for maintenance.
•             * Once maintenance is complete, Mike will be taking it to the Storage rental location.

• At next opportunity, add NAR membership as one valid organization, in addition to the AMA (Academy of Model Aeronautics) as eligible for use of Buder Park. 
• Possible additional launch site – World Wide Technology Raceway.  At this point, Doug is still wanting to have an in-person conversation with the site owner before scheduling a launch.  Also, their weekend calendar is essentially full currently. 
• Box for the Buder Park launch fees?  (Note: $6 per day flying fees instituted recently.)  Thanks to Doug Probst for posting photos of the box on the SLRA website.  At least the ‘button pusher’ needs to be a NAR member and have Buder permit fees paid.  Club maintains attitude of making every attempt to comply with the Buder fees and NAR membership requirements.  (Note: The box for launch fees did not have any envelopes available at the 31 May launch for leaving payment for daily use.  Also – the grass at Buder Park was approximately a foot tall for the 31 May launch. Just saying.)

New Business    

• The St. Louis County Park Rangers were contacted for support needed during the upcoming June and October night launches.  Laura MacLeod did not think we needed park ranger support for the June launch at this time, unless we wanted to have a ranger present.  The club decided to forego the expense at this time.  The secretary will let Laura know of the club’s decision.
• The subject of a trailer maintenance day was brought up.  Will need to involve Mike W. 
• Doug Probst mentioned the possibility of another launch site in Illinois – the YMCA located in Maryville.  They would be OK with using their soccer field for this purpose.  However, note that the use of an adjacent hay field will not be permitted by its owner.

Adjourned 7:30

The Next SLRA Meeting/Build Session is next Tuesday, May 27th, at the Sunset Hills Bandana’s BBQ (11750 Gravois Rd, St. Louis, MO 63127) Coordinate 38.53096/-90.38616.

6:00 - 7:00 PM – Rocket Talk Social Hour/Dinner/Build Session
7:00 - ?:?? PM – SLRA Meeting
Post Meeting – More Rocket Talk and Build Session until 9:00 pm 

The meeting location is in the basement of the restaurant.  You’ll need to enter from the back of the restaurant.   We have lots of room to spread-out. There are lots of tables for enabling us to have a coincident Build Session. 

If you have a rocket project you’re working on, bring it to the meeting.  Be sure to bring a table cover (newspaper/poster board) and cutting board to prevent damage to tabletops.   

This is also a great opportunity to bring rocketry-related questions to ask seasoned Low to High Power Rocketeers who will be in attendance. Interested in Competition rocketry, those questions can be answered as well.

Schaefer’s Hobby is nearby as well.   They’re open till 6:00 pm. 

If you’re a member of SLRA and are registered on the website, you can view minutes of previous meetings from our website’s Meeting Minutes Page, the unresolved discussions from our previous meeting will be the basis of our “Old Business” discussion at Tuesday’s meeting.

Happy Rocketeering!!!

Secretary John

Draft minutes of the April 22, 2025 SLRA meeting. If any changes/additions need to be made, let me know via Secretary@stlouisrocketry.org

Attendees: (22) Chris Franklin, Charles Barnett, John Sullivan, Doug Probst, Chuck Meckfessel, Molly Meckfessel, Emma Meckfessel, Don Hanson, Mike Walsh, Larry Hileman, John Buckley, Oliver Garbus, Jason Garbus, Andrew Krows, Alex Dornerger, Barry Green, Jackson Wooten, Dave DeWeese, Dan Cella, Nina Fischer, Mark Nankivil, Jack Nankivil

Sunset Hills Bandana’s BBQ; 11750 Gravois Rd, Saint Louis, MO 63127

Called to order at 7:00

New Attendees:  Alex Dornberger, SIUE – Level 2 certified. (others I may have missed?)

Achievements and Contributions:

• Molly Meckfessel achieved Level 1 status.  1500 feet altitude, 300 MPH.  Congratulations, Molly!
• Mike Walsh launched one of Jim Davis’s (SLRA member back in the 1990’s) old Level 3 rockets at Thunderstruck at their April 11-13 launch in Pence, Indiana.  Reached 7200 feet altitude.  Impressive, Mike!

25 March 2025 SLRA Meeting Minutes approved

Treasury Status

• Current Balance $2,044.98
• Deposits: TBD – Dan Cella noted there were some PayPal funds to be transferred
• Expenses: $55.00

SLRA Memberships Total = 2025 current total = 33.  (29 Senior/4 Junior Members)

Launch Reports:

• Mike Walsh no Elsberry High-Power Launch event occurred

Upcoming Launches

• Possible Elsberry HP Launch 29 March
• Buder Park Launch 26 April (questionable due to continued wet/flooded conditions at Buder). Charles Burnett will check Buder field conditions on Thursday, April 24.  
• MOKAN Launch 17 May
• Mini-Midwest Power   Quad Cities Rocketry Club 27-28 May (Memorial Weekend)
• NARAM 23-29 June in Muncie, Indiana

Old Business

• Joel recommends going to Club Express (CE) as the location for SLRA website.  

The website would contain information regarding club activities and serve as a site for maintaining records of club activities (i.e. Meetings, launch events, membership.  Photos and videos would be posted ad maintained on the SLRA Facebook Page.  Joel will be contacting a Club Express Representative to obtain information on pricing and process for transitioning the SLRA website to Club Express

• GSLMA Status.  Doug Probst will be taking the reins on maintaining communication with Buder Park North Greater St. Louis Modeling Association members
• SLRA Support for Wash U/SLU Rocketry Teams.  No Interest expressed (possibly Jason Garbus)
• SLRA Trailers
•             * Inventory needs to be taken for both trailers
•             * Possibly put lights in the trailer
•             * Roof damage on HP Trailer from hail storm
•             * Don Hanson has the HP trailer and will be taking it to Mike Walsh’s house for maintenance.
•             * Once maintenance is complete, Mike will be taking it to the Storage rental location.

New Business    

• Possible additional launch site – World Wide Technology Raceway.  Waiting on final word regarding permission from the site owner, but there was considerable interest expressed.  Doug Probst has been in contact with Scott at the raceway.  Note: Nina Fischer is employed at the raceway. 
• The feasibility of rocket cars was briefly discussed, with the possible use of the drag strip at the raceway.  Further consideration of any safety code issues would need to be thought through.
• At next opportunity, add NAR membership as one valid organization, in addition to the AMA (Academy of Model Aeronautics) as eligible for use of Buder Park. 
• John Buckley – Where is the box for the Buder Park launch fees?  (Note: $6 per day flying fees instituted recently.)  It should be at the pavilion but couldn’t be located when last visited the field.  Also expressed concern about flying fees for any TARC teams flying at Buder.  At least the ‘button pusher’ needs to be a NAR member and have Buder permit fees paid.  Club maintains attitude of making every attempt to comply with the Buder fees and NAR membership requirements.

Adjourned 7:25

Due to ongoing wet field conditions at Buder, the Saturday, 4/26/2025 Buder Park Launch has been cancelled.

Keep on with those rocket building projects for the May 31, 2025 launch!

The Next SLRA Meeting/Build Session is next Tuesday, April 22nd, at the Sunset Hills Bandana’s BBQ (11750 Gravois Rd, St. Louis, MO 63127) Coordinate 38.53096/-90.38616.

6:00 - 7:00 PM – Rocket Talk Social Hour/Dinner/Build Session
7:00 - ?:?? PM – SLRA Meeting
Post Meeting – More Rocket Talk and Build Session until 9:00 pm 

The meeting location is in the basement of the restaurant.  You’ll need to enter from the back of the restaurant.   We have lots of room to spread-out. There are lots of tables for enabling us to have a coincident Build Session. 

If you have a rocket project you’re working on, bring it to the meeting.  Be sure to bring a table cover (newspaper/poster board) and cutting board to prevent damage to tabletops.   

This is also a great opportunity to bring rocketry-related questions to ask seasoned Low to High Power Rocketeers who will be in attendance. Interested in Competition rocketry, those questions can be answered as well.

Schaefer’s Hobby is nearby as well.   They’re open till 6:00 pm. 

If you’re a member of SLRA and are registered on the website, you can view minutes of previous meetings from our website’s Meeting Minutes Page, the unresolved discussions from our previous meeting will be the basis of our “Old Business” discussion at Tuesday’s meeting.

Happy Rocketeering!!!

Secretary John

Quality Review is Greatly Appreciated. Please provide feedback on any corrections that need to be made to secretary@stlouisrocketry.org

Attendees: (19) Chris Franklin, Charles Barnett, Dave Kovar, Doug Probst, Chuck Meckfessel, Molly Meckfessel, Don Hanson, Mike Walsh, Joel Weston, Larry Hileman, John Buckley, Chris Lagemann, Skipton Eberhart, John O’Neil, John Hilker, Ken Gianino, Jessica Fox, Robert Benton, Nina Fischer, John Sullivan

Sunset Hills Bandana’s BBQ; 11750 Gravois Rd, Saint Louis, MO 63127

Called to order at 7:00

New Attendees:  No new attendees.

Achievements and Contributions: Dave Kovar presented SLRA Lifetime Membership Award by club President Chris Franklin in recognition of his service as club President (2014-2022) and Secretary (2023- 2025).  Dave was instrumental in organizing the May 2024 STEM Apollo 11 45^th Anniversary Commemoration event in collaboration with other area STEM organization and attended by NASA White Flight Director Gene Kranz.   Dave spearheaded efforts to increase engagement with other Greater St. Louis Modeling Association Members utilizing Buder Park North as a Flying Field.   SLRA membership significantly increased during his tenure as President/Secretary, most notably with regard to Junior Members.   Most notably accomplished by organizing Buder Park Themed mid/Low Power Lauch events, multiple annual NAR Junior Membership Awards presentations, and presentation of First-Ever Tripoli Membership Award to Molly Meckfessel.  To top it all off, Dave co-authored a 2024 NAR Sport Rocketry Magazine article highlighting collaboration between SLRA and the Kansas Organization for Space Modelling (KOSMO) in organizing a rocketry event associated with the Kansas Cosmosphere’s historic Apollo 16 50^th Anniversary Celebration event. Congratulations Dave!

Dave is retiring in March 28^th after 40 years of employment.  He’s heading to Las Cruces New Mexico to begin his new-life chapter as a retiree.   He’ll surely be missed.

28 January 2025 SLRA Meeting Minutes approved

Treasury Status

• Current Balance $2,717.32
• Deposits: $258
• Expenses: $307.16

SLRA Memberships Total = 2025 current total = 32.  (28 Senior/4 Junior Members)

Launch Reports:

• Mike Walsh no Elsberry High-Power Launch event occurred
• John O’Neil reported having a Civil Air Patrol Launch in Joplin, MO (36 Launches)

Upcoming Launches

• Possible Elsberry HP Launch 29 March
• Buder Park Launch 29 March. (Elsberry HP Launch trumps Buder Launch)
• Central Illinois Aerospace HP Launch in Decator IL 29 March
• Thunderstruck (Pence, IN   HP Waiver (J Engine Max) 11-13 April
• MOKAN Launch 19 April & 17 May
• Mini-Midwest Power   Quad Cities Rocketry Club 27-28 May (Memorial Weekend)
• NARAM 23-29 June in Muncie, Indiana

Old Business

• Joel recommends going to Club Express (CE) as the location for SLRA website.  

The website would contain information regarding club activities and serve as a site for maintaining records of club activities (i.e. Meetings, launch events, membership.  Photos and videos would be posted and maintained on the SLRA Facebook Page.  Joel will be contacting a Club Express Representative to obtain information on pricing and process for transitioning the SLRA website to Club Express

• GSLMA Status.  Doug Probst will be taking the reins on maintaining communication with Buder Park North Greater St. Louis Modeling Association members.  At March 5^th GSLMA there was deliberation on the challenges of cleaning up the park due to ongoing rain.  A volunteer force may be needed to help cleanup the park.
• SLRA Support for Wash U/SLU Rocketry Teams.  No Interest expressed (possibly Jason Garbus)

New Business    

-   SLRA Trailers

      * Inventory needs to be taken for both trailers

      * Possibly put lights in the trailer

      * Roof damage on HP Trailer from hail storm

      * Don Hanson has the HP trailer and will be taking it to Mike Walsh’s house for maintenance.

      * Once maintenance is complete, Mike will be taking it to the Storage rental location.

Adjourned 7:31