Fellow SLRAers,
Due to weather conditions, today’s Night Launch has been postponed and rescheduled for Saturday August 28th. Check out the SLRA website for additional information. Happy Rocketeering!
President Dave
Dan Welling (danw1963@hotmail.com) was recently contacted by David McMurty. David would like to organize some sort of memorial for Bruce Weidner (a co-founder of our SLRA) to be held on Saturday, October 2nd. No details yet, but likely a celebration of his life - or story swapping session.
We would like to get a rough "straw" count of those who would likely attend. So please respond to this post, and or e-mail Dan Welling as our point of contact with David McMurty.
Also, if you have a way of passing this on to past members of our SLRA, we would greatly appreciate it. Please pass this on to them, and if possible pass on their contact info to Dan Welling as well.
Blessings and Thanks for helping us to remember and honor Bruce for his continuing legacy of our SLRA.
Darrell Weber - SLRA Secretary, NAR 103676, L2, TRA 17763, L2
SLRA will hold their first ever night launch at Buder Park Saturday June 26th, 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 40% chance of rain could scrub the event.
If the sky is clear, Heino Pull will bring his telescope for viewing of the night sky. Venus and Mars are low on the Western horizon. And the Moon and Saturn rise on the Eastern horizon around 10:40 pm.
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, June 22nd.
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: SLRA June Business Meeting
Time: Jun 22, 2021 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81144061800?pwd=TXlTbXdHcXFzWEdsMzdaakI0ZllpZz09
Meeting ID: 811 4406 1800
Passcode: 477012
If you're a member of SLRA and are registered on the website, you can view minutes of previous meetings here: Meeting Minutes Page, The meeting minutes will be the basis of our "old business" discussion.
THE STANDARD AGENDA FOR ALL MEETINGS IS AS FOLLOWS:
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.
On Saturday, June 5th, SLRA participated in the Gateway Youth Aeronautical Foundation’s (GYAF) first ever Youth Aviation Day.
This STEM-related event provided youth ages 8-17 the opportunity to experience their first airplane and/or helicopter flight (without parents) through their Youth Eagle Flight program. There were lots of other static exhibits as well. Thanks to GYAF member, Carmelo Turdo, SLRA was invited to have an exhibit booth as well.
SLRA members Glen Arens, Dan Crank, Jay Draper, Dave Kovar, and Dan Welling collaborated in setting-up and staffing of the exhibit showcasing the wide spectrum of interests within hobby; low – high power rocketry, flying scale model, and competition rocketry.
Participation in this event also provided the opportunity to promote upcoming SLRA events such as the monthly Buder Park. Launches, the June 26th Night Launch, and July 31st Apollo 15 50th/Gus Grissom Liberty Bell 7 60th Anniversary Commemoration Event. Over 30 SLRA business cards were handed-out to attendees and all of the Estes Viking rocket kits, donated by Jay, were handed out to future rocketeers as well.
It was a great day. A huge thanks goes out to Carmelo Turdo, Glen, Dan C., Dan W., and Jay for all their efforts!
Please click the image below to view the album of the event.
SLRA members have been invited to make a display of Low Power, Mid Power and High Power Rockets at their upcoming Youth Aviation Day. We especially need a member or members with High Power Rockets to display.
It will be held on Saturday, June 5th, from 10:00 am till 4:00 pm.
It will be held at the Creve Coeur Airport (14301 Creve Coeur Airport Road
Maryland Heights Missouri 63146-2042). Between Route 141 and the Missouri River just off of Route 364.
http://www.crevecoeurairport.com/drivingdirections.html
We will have room to display Rockets in the GYAF hangar across from the main terminal at Creve Coeur AP. We will be there 7AM-10AM and you can arrive anytime before 10AM. We will have 3 different food trucks. The event is from 10-4 and you can stay or leave whenever you wish. This map shows the major layout areas.
Our next model rocket launch is scheduled for this coming Sunday, May 30th, at Buder Park. The weather looks great, sunny, light winds and starting off cool.
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.
Fine Print:
Buder Park
215 Valley Park Rd
Fenton, MO. 63026
From the St. Louis area, take I-44 West to the Hwy 141 exit. Turn right onto 141, then immediately turn right again onto the access road, and a third right to head towards the park.
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; if you plan to arrive after 11:00 am, please call ahead (314-630-7619) to make sure we’re still flying. We will continue to fly rockets past noon if the weather is good, our battery holds out, and people still have rockets to fly.
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, May 25th.
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: SLRA May Business Meeting
Time: May 25, 2021 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81113680771?pwd=azZOTlJSa05KQUpNRlNIUVVNS1RVdz09
Meeting ID: 811 1368 0771
Passcode: 362542
If you're a member of SLRA and are registered on the website, you can view minutes of previous meetings here: Meeting Minutes Page, The meeting minutes will be the basis of our "old business" discussion.
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.
Our next model rocket launch is scheduled for this coming Sunday, May 30th, 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.
Fine Print:
Buder Park
215 Valley Park Rd
Fenton, MO. 63026
From the St. Louis area, take I-44 West to the Hwy 141 exit. Turn right onto 141, then immediately turn right again onto the access road, and a third right to head towards the park.
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; if you plan to arrive after 11:00 am, please call ahead (314-630-7619) to make sure we’re still flying. We will continue to fly rockets past noon if the weather is good, our battery holds out, and people still have rockets to fly.
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 will Commemorate the 60th Anniversary of Alan Shepard's sub-orbital Freedom 7 flight with a mass launch of Mercury Redstones at 10:00 am.
Currently we have been able to launch only 3 rockets at a time with our launch control system. We are checking into using a different battery to try and launch 6 rockets at a time.
To help alleviate this situation, we are asking that those who join us bring their own launch pad and launch controller.
