SLRA will hold their first ever night launch at Buder Park Saturday August 28th, 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.
