Next HPR Launch Attempt 4/18/2021
Current Status: CAUTION (Weather and field condition)

If you are in need of the Monster Pad please reach out to Mike Walsh or Dan Welling

As always please watch for weather related updates at https://www.stlouisrocketry.com

While this is an outdoor event where social distancing requirements are easily maintained most of the time, there may be instances at the RSO table and pads where a mask would be appropriate. Please BYOM (bring your own mask). If you are unable to maintain 6’ distance from others outside of your own personal group, please be kind and wear a mask. If you are feeling ill or have a fever, please stay home. There will be other high power launches you can attend.

• Our waiver will be open from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm. The range may or may not remain open until 4:30 pm, depending on how many people attend and how many rockets we want to fly.
• Our waiver altitude is 6,500 feet AGL, with call-in windows to 14,500 feet AGL.
• The club equipment trailer should arrive at the field around 9:00 am for us to begin setup. We would greatly appreciate as much help as possible with setup and cleanup, so please plan to arrive early if you can.
• There will be neither food concessions nor restroom facilities at this site, but it is a very short drive into town for those needs.
• Launch fees will be $0 for Low-Power Rockets (also called Model Rockets and class 1 rockets, with 1/4 A up to G80 engines) if you're a PAID SLRA member, and $3 if you're not a paid SLRA member; and $10 for High-Power Rockets (also called class 2 rockets) up to M.
• We plan to have various sizes of launch pads set up, from the 1/8" model rocket rods up to 1515 rails. If you have any special needs, please reply to this email and we will see if we can accommodate you. In particular, if you need the "Monster Pad," please let us know ahead of time.
• As always, please be courteous to our hosts and respectful of their property, including driving slowly on all farm roads. Once we get on site, we will clarify where it is okay to drive and park.

Location and directions to field:
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1616154,-90.7682789,2917m/data=!3m1!1e3
Take MO-79 to Highway JJ, the first intersection south of the town of Elsberry.From this point, we should have signs up to guide you - but head east onto Old Missouri 79 (if you were coming north from the St. Louis area, this is a right turn) and continue straight onto the farm road where the main road takes another right turn.

With the rain yesterday, today and predicted for Saturday along with high winds forecast for Sunday, we are scrubbing the HPR launch scheduled for Saturday, April 10th, 2021. We will now try for our rollover date of Sunday, April 18th, 2021.

Please watch the website for the most current launch status update at https://www.stlouisrocketry.com/

Today's SLRA's LPR Launch at Buder Park has been DELAYED until Today 5:00pm CST.

With the current conditions of the Elsberry field SLRA is scrubbing the official HPR launch scheduled for tomorrow March 28th 2021.

Our next attempted HPR launch date will be Saturday April 10th.

Our next model rocket launch is scheduled for this coming Sunday, March 28t, at Buder Park.

As always, please check the website for last-minute updates before heading to the field, or check your email if you are subscribed to the email list.

We'll start setup at 8:00 am and should have the range open by 8:30 if not earlier. The range will stay open for as long as people are flying, but we're typically done by 12:00 or 1:00 pm.

If you have any questions, please email admin@stlouisrocketry.com.

---The fine print---

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.

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.

We have been attempting to schedule a high power rocket launch. Weather has not been cooperating with us.

We were trying very hard to schedule something for this weekend but again whether does not look like it's going to cooperate with us as we are going to get heavy rains today and possible rains again on Saturday.