Bidding is open on the SLRA online auction

SLRA is holding an online auction for several items left to the club by the late Mike Fischer, a longtime member who passed away late last year. Please visit https://auctria.events/slra-auction-spring-2023 to see what is available. Here are some notes on the auction:

  • Bidding ends at noon CDT on Sunday August 20
  • Bidding within the last 5 minutes will extend bidding on that item for 10 minutes (to prevent sniping)
  • You'll get an email if you're outbid
  • You won't see who you're bidding against
  • You must register on the website with a credit card before bidding
  • All proceeds go directly to the club

If you have any questions, please email me at danno@danno.org.

July 29th, 2023 SLRA Buder Park Launch

Despite having the postpone this past weekend's Buder Park launch from Saturday evening to Sunday morning, due to weather, those who attended were treated to great wind conditions for keeping the rockets out of the trees. In all 11 rocketeers attended the event, 5 of whom were Junior SLRA members. We had 49 total launches. Chris Lagemann took the prize home for the most launches at fourteen.

Two new members joined the SLRA family, Adam Lininger and Creighton Reeves. Welcome!!!!

Congratulations to Creighton on a highly successful first rocket launch. He also took home the most rockets from the Mike Fischer Memorial Raffle, winning two of the four rockets being raffled-off.

A Big shout-out also goes to Peter Seden for a highly successful first launch of his Estes SLS rocket. Peter also took some amazing photos at the launch that are shown below. Thanks Peter!!!

Happy Rocketeering Everyone!!!!!

Secretary Dave

June 24th SLRA Summer Solstice Night Launch Event

SLRA held a low to mid power model / sport night launch open to the public at Buder Park.  We started setting up just after 2PM on the east end of the field and were flying shortly afterwards. The weather was hot to very hot and wind calm with gusts of a northern wind just as if connected to the launch button. Most flights stayed within the park, except for a few that just had to find comfort in the trees. I don’t know the actual numbers, but guessing there were around 60-70 flights. SLRA president Chris Franklin awarded Peter Seddon  with a 1-year NAR (National Rocketry Association) membership for his enthusiasm with model rockets and for taking some of the photos at the last couple of SLRA events. SLRA gave out 5 rockets to kids who stopped by with their families to watch some of the rocket flights. One of these young boys, Ebon, was a big help as assistant LCO, firing up the crowd as the rockets launched and landed. No money was involved (that I saw anyway) when Ebon quizzed everyone as to the next rocket’s altitude or duration was going to be. As the evening replaced the daylight, the rockets with onboard lighting came out to light the way. Personal note: I made 2 rockets for night flying using 29mm motors, but I left these motors at home (facepalm). Around 9PM we started to take down the canopies, which in turn made others think we were done and had started packing up the launch gear.  A big-Shout-out goes out to Fred Cronenwett and Peter Seddon for taking some great pics!!!

Launch Report compliments of Doug Probst

May 21st SLRA Buder Park Launch Activity

This past weekend’s SLRA Buder Park Launch was a huge success. Despite postponing the launch to Sunday, we had the largest attendance for the 2023 Buder Park Launch season.   Two concurrent Ranges were in operation, one for Sport Launching (Dave Pape Launch Control Officer –LCO) and the other for Competition (John Buckley LCO).  Seventeen rocketeers were in attendance at the Sport Range launching a total of 74 rockets in a 4.5 hour timeframe.  Three rocketeers were in attendance at the Competition Range launching 20ish rockets.   A huge SLRA welcome goes out the newest SLRA members who were actively participating in Sunday’s Sport Launch; Andrew Fuller, Matt Lehnen, Keith Reece, and Brian Hamilton.  

 Happy Rocketeering everyone!!!

 Secretary Dave

The following amazingly spectacular photos are complements of Peter Seddon and Brian Hamilton.

Change to This Weekend’s Buder Park Launch & General Meeting Announcement

Buder Park Launch Moved to Sunday May 21st from 9:00-1:00 (Set-up 8:00-9:00 am)
 
SLRA is having our General meeting at Fallon’s Irish Bar and Grill this Tuesday, May 23rd
Location 9200 Olive Blvd, Apt 116, Olivette, MO
6:00-7:00 PM - Rocket Talk Social Hour 7:00 PM - Meeting Start Time
More Post-Meeting Rocket Talk up until 9:30 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 meeting minutes will be the basis of our “old business” discussion.

THE STANDARD AGENDA FOR ALL MEETINGS
New Meeting Attendee Recognition
Minutes from Previous Meeting Approved
Treasury Status
Recognition of Achievements and Contributions
Members expenses
Recent/Upcoming Launch Events
Old Business
New Business
Please email secretary@stlouisrocketry.com
 if you have new business for the meeting.

***NOTICE***
NO ZOOM CONNECTION FOR THIS MEETING

April 29th Buder Park SLRA Saturn/Skylab 50th Anniversary Launch Commemoration Event

The April 29th Saturn Skylab 50th Anniversary Commemoration Sport Launch event was well attended, There was a total of 15 flyers, 11 Senior and 4 Junior rocketeers.   There were an equal number of spectators as well.  A total of 68 launches were accomplished in the four hours the range was open.  The top flyers in the Senior Class were Doug Probst with 11 and Chris Lagemann with 10.   In the Junior Class, the top flyers were Nemo Hanson with 6 and Gideon Hanson with 5.   

This was a Mercury/Gemini/Apollo Era themed launch.   It was only appropriate that a beautiful half-moon resided over Buder Park.  Peter Seddon captured some amazing photos of the rockets flying past the moon.  Nice job Peter.

A huge thank-you goes out to Dave Pape for hauling the SLRA Launch Equipment to the field and serving as event Launch Control Officer with his trusty assistants Gideon and Nemo Hanson.   Chris Lagemann assisted as well.

It’s also worthy of noting that Dave Pape, Doug Probst, Chris Lagemann, Larry Hileman, Dan Crank, and Don Hanson participated in an all-day rocket launching event, attended by roughly 50 Boy Scouts, at Beaumont Scout Reservation.  They went straight from the Scouting Event to Buder Park with Launch Equipment in-tow.  It was a full day of rocket activity for the six of them.  This may have been the first time that pizza was delivered to the Buder Park Launch Field to feed the six famished rocketeers.

Other SLRA members in attendance for the Saturn/Skylab 50th Anniversary Launch Event included   Doug & Dakota Drake, Dave Kovar, Glen Arens, Mario Santos, Ian Hanson, Nemo Hanson, Gideon Hanson, John Sullivan, Dennis Thompson, and Mike Walsh.

A huge shout-out goes out to Peter Seddon for providing all but one of the photos shown below.  The moon fly-by photos are spectacular.  A shout-out also goes out to Dennis Thompson for providing the Saturn/Skylab launch photo.

Happy Rocketeering Everyone!!!!

SLRA Secretary Dave Kovar.

April 8th SLRA Buder Park Sport Launch

The April 8th SLRA Buder Park Sport Launch was well attended by eleven SLRA members and and a local youth group of 10 kids with rockets in hand and ready to fly. It was a great day for launching rockets with sunny skies and light to moderate winds out of the east. 57 rockets were launched by LCO Dave Pape: Youth Group - 9, Dan Crank - 2, *Gideon Hanson - 2, *Ian Hanson - 2, Charles Barnett - 3, *Dennis Thompson - 5, Dave Kovar - 6, Glen Arens - 7, Doug Probst (The Tall Guy in the White Hat) - 10, and Chris Lagemann - 13. The most spectacular flight of the day was Glen Arens' Red Max. The greatest accomplishment of the day......No rockets landing in trees or water hazards. *=New SLRA Member