Our Don Hanson is picking up supplies at AirFest/Argoinia this coming weekend. Let him know if you are interested, pretty soon.

donlakeshire@yahoo.com 638-4100

SLRA will hold their first ever night  launch at Buder Park Saturday August 28^th, 2021, starting at 6:00 pm and going till possibly 11:00 pm. Attaching glo-sticks to the outside of a rocket is easy. And some rockets have a clear payload tube in which to put glo-sticks. Or come up with your own unique way of illuminating your rocket. So come and enjoy the sights of Night launched rockets.

Keep your eye on the weather as rain could scrub the event.

If the sky is clear, Heino Pull and others will bring telescopes for viewing of the night sky. At sunset (7:35 pm) Mars, Mercury and Venus will be setting on the Western horizon and Saturn and Jupiter will be rising on the Eastern horizon. The moon comes up late (10:58 pm).  The Milky Way will be high overhead. So the viewing of open and globular clusters and some nebula should be good.

Launch pads are usually set up in the southeast corner of the park, but this may change based on wind direction and other activities nearby.

Anyone who is a current, paid member of the National Association of Rocketry or Tripoli Rocketry Association is welcome to participate. Due to insurance regulations, those who are not a member of one of the two national organizations will need to have a NAR or Tripoli member inspect and fly their rockets for them. Non-members will also be asked to sign a liability release. If you wish to fly your own rockets, please be prepared to show your NAR or Tripoli membership card, or a receipt of payment if you are a new member who has not yet received a card.

Please note that these launches may be cancelled for a number of reasons, notably: weather conditions (rain, high wind), park conditions (mud, flooding), or scheduling conflicts (another group’s use of the park makes it impossible to safely launch, or not enough SLRA members are available to run the launch). Please check the “current launch status” on the front page of our website, https://www.stlouisrocketry.com, before making your way to the park. Also, the number of people in attendance has a bearing on how long the range stays open.

Buder Park launches are conducted under the NAR safety code as “Class 1” rocket launches. Class 1 launches carry the following restrictions:

Rockets must weigh less than 1.5 kilograms (3.3 pounds) at liftoff, including propellant.

Rockets must contain no more than 125 grams (4.4 ounces) of propellant – this includes most motors up through G class (although see the note below regarding high-altitude launches). Only certified, commercial motors are allowed.

Rockets must be made of wood, paper, or breakable plastic, and contain no substantial metal parts.

Rockets must employ a recovery system such as a parachute, streamer, helicopter, glide, tumble or featherweight recovery

Decisions of the LCO (launch control officer) and RSO (range safety officer) are final with respect to these restrictions and safety in general. Our goal is safety for everyone involved.

The total size of Buder Park is approximately 2100 x 1200 feet, which according to the Model Rocket Safety Code is large enough to fly a G motor rocket. However, please keep in mind that we are usually not the only users of the park – we share it with radio control aircraft flyers, archers, sports teams, joggers, and many others. Also, the perimeter of the park is lined with very tall trees, and just beyond the north treeline you will find the Meramec River. Have some idea of how high your rocket is expected to go before you launch, keep the wind conditions in mind, and use common sense. Experienced SLRA members will be happy to advise you to make sure your rocket is safe and likely to be recoverable.

Finally, please remember to take adequate precautions in hot weather – use sunscreen and bring water or sports drinks to stay hydrated. One nice thing about Buder Park is that there is plenty of shade around the edges of the field, so please take shelter from the sun when you need to.

SLRA is having our regular monthly meeting on Tuesday evening, August 24^th.

It will be held at Bandana's Bar-B-Q, 11750 Gravois Road, Sunset Hills, MO 63127-1804.

Due to COVID-19, this meeting will also be held on Zoom:

Topic: August SLRA Business Meeting
Time: Aug 24, 2021 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82307643123?pwd=Z3kyNElVMllwbWtkZU5ycXdpbS91QT09

Meeting ID: 823 0764 3123
Passcode: 744570

If you're a member of SLRA and are registered on the website, you can view minutes of previous meetings here: Meeting MinutesPage, The meeting minutes will be the basis of our "old business" discussion.

THE STANDARD AGENDA FOR ALL MEETINGS IS AS FOLLOWS:

1. Minutes

2. Treasury Status

3. Recognition of Achievements and Contributions

4. Members expenses

5. Old Business

a) Launch Report / Schedule,

b) Trailer Status,

c) GSLMA report,

d) Wireless Cellphone Weather Station

e) NARAM Update

f) Swap Meet / Garage Sale

g) 

h) 

6. New Business

a) 

b) 

Online and paper membership forms with payments received by mail to be processed by treasurer and president.

Please email admin@stlouisrocketry.com if you have new business for the meeting.

I, Darrell Weber, am ordering mid-power engines (Black Powder E12-0, 4, 6, 8; E16-0, 4, 6, 8;   F15-0, 4, 6, 8,   and Composite F26-6 and F50-6, from Ron Becherer of Belleville Wholesale Hobby (https://bellevillehobby.com) in Belleville, IL.

This is a reminder that I will place the order on August 11th.

The engines have to purchased in a case, and cases can not be mixed.

Ron gives a 41% discount, and I will pick them up so there would be no hazmat or shipping charges. There is a 7.84% sales tax that will be added, and is reflected in the bottom line of the spreadsheet below - with information about each engine, the Estes cost, and Ron's cost.

When we make an SLRA order Ron isn’t certain when the shipment would arrive. He pointed out the slow drying time for the black powder engines.

Indicate the engine and the number of packs that you want. I will place an order on August 11th if we have a sufficient number of engines (cases) to order. We can settle up the costs at an SLRA meeting once the shipment has arrived.

If you are interested in ordering any of these engines then e-mail Darrell Weber at: weber.ddw56@gmail.com

Check back on this post, for I intend to update the number of engine packs currently requested.

Darrell Weber - SLRA former Secretary (618) 972-6010

The Apollo 15 Liberty Bell 7 Commemoration Event is being postponed due to forecasted rainy weather conditions.  The event will now be next Saturday August 7th from 9:00-2:00 pm. Cross your fingers for good weather next Saturday. Please pass this information on to anyone you know of who was planning on attending.  

Dave Kovar asked me to check with Ron Becherer of Belleville Wholesale Hobby (https://bellevillehobby.com) in Belleville, IL (just 10 miles from my - Darrell Weber - house in Millstadt, IL) about purchase costs for mid-power engines (Black Powder E12-0, 4, 6, 8; E16-0, 4, 6, 8;   F15-0, 4, 6, 8,   and Composite F26-6 and F50-6).

Ron gives a 41% discount, and I can pick them up so their would be no hazmat or shipping charges.

The engines have to purchased in a case, and cases can not be mixed.

Below is a spreadsheet with information about each engine, the Estes cost, and Ron's cost.

When we make an SLRA order Ron isn’t certain when the shipment would arrive. He pointed out the slow drying time for the black powder engines.

If you are interested in ordering any of these engines then e-mail Darrell Weber at: weber.ddw56@gmail.com

Indicate the engine and the number of packs that you want. I will place an order on August 11th if we have a sufficient number of engines (cases) to order. We can settle up the costs at an SLRA meeting once the shipment has arrived.

Check back on this post, for I intend to update the number of engine packs currently requested.

Darrell Weber - SLRA former Secretary (618) 972-6010

SLRA President, Dave Kovar (kovardad@gmail.com) says we still need the following for our Apollo 15 50th, and Liberty Bell 7 60th Anniversary event at Buder Park this coming Saturday, July 31st, which runs from 9:00 am till 2:00 pm.

1. Volunteers to set up - starting at 7:00 am,
2. Stop Watches for the Precision Duration Spot Landing Competition,
3. The PA System

So join us for this great event, revisiting our Nations rich Space Heritage.

SLRA President, Dave Kovar (kovardad@gmail.com) is looking for someone who has access to a printer larger than 8 1/2" by 11". He is going to make indoor and outdoor signage for the Apollo 15 - 50th, & Liberty Bell 7 - 60th Anniversary launch event at Buder Park, set fro Saturday, July 31st.

I, SLRA Secretary, Darrell Weber, have access to 11" by 17" printing. But, our laminator is only 8 1/2" by 11". Yet we can mount the 11" by 17" sheet on foam board and coat it with a clear coat acrylic so it can withstand wet weather.

If anyone receiving this has access to a bigger printer, then please contact Dave Kovar at: kovardad@gmail.com

Thanks; Darrell

Great News!!
Belleville Wholesale Hobby (https://bellevillehobby.com) has agreed to sponsor our Commemoration Event.  A big thank you to Ron Becherer.

We now have Estes SLS Ready-to-Fly rockets that will be presented to the Junior and Senior Class champions of our Precision Duration Splashdown Spot Landing Competition.  (Yes...I changed it to a Splashdown Spot Landing Competition so it fits both Liberty Bell 7 and Apollo 15).

Belleville Wholesale Hobby also provided us with a 1:100 scale Estes Saturn V/Skylab that we will raffle off to NAR and Tripoli members who participate in our event..  Those who volunteer will receive 3 tickets and those who just participate in the Sport Launch or spectate will receive one ticket.   Please volunteer to help with this event.  Your President would greatly appreciate it.

I've updated the attached event informational PDF with this information.   
Note:  Since this is a Precision Duration Splashdown Spot Landing Competition, we will not need the moon.   If we find it, then we could put it out as a cool display.

We are also hoping to give away Estes Alphas (about 6 of them) to kids who attend our event?

Happy Rocketeering!!
President Dave