Cub Scout Pack 79 Launches Rockets - October 19th, 2008

My 7-year old son Kyle is a Cub Scout Pack 79 Wolf. Led by Brian Wagner, we spent an evening assembling Estes Rockets and launched 'em the following Sunday, October 19th, 2008 at Angevine Middle School. It was a glorious Fall Day, with winds abating as we set up - perfect weather for launching some rockets. DenMaster Kurt Munding assisted with engine loading while Launch Directer Brian oversaw several dozen launches (not one failure) in an hour - tons of fun!!!

For the photohounds out there, I was using a Canon 40D shooting mostly ISO 1600 (pics are a bit grainy) to keep the shutter speed up. The clouds rolled in & out plus I was shooting into the Sun, so the light wasn't the best. Also challenging was trying to capture the rocket as it left the pad; it goes FAST. But a few decent pictures that capture the moment ... or milli-second!

If you want to see a time-lapse animation of a launch ("there it goes - straight up!"), check out launch sequence 1 and 2.
A few years later, we used Vinegar and Baking Soda to launch rockets! ;-)

Houston, we have liftoff!

img 51XX

All several dozen rocket launches were successful ... not one mis-fire

img 51XX

Pre-launch activities - Cub Scouts are ready to "light these candles!"

img 51XX

Launch Director Brian Wagner gives a safety briefing to the Pack 79 Scouts

img 51XX

Anxiety *just* before the first launch - note firing finger

img 51XX

Wide-angle View of Pack 79 Launch Facility ... at Angevine Middle School

img 51XX

Launch Director Brian assisting Kyle with his rocket

img 51XX

Kyle rocket is up, up, and away!

img 51XX

Placing the rocket in the ready position for firing

img 51XX

Note motion blur at 1/1000 second shutter speed - rocket is moving even just off the pad!

img 51XX

Launch Director Brian Wagner kept a close eye on each rocket launch

img 51XX

Cameraman captures a few more launch images - flash is turned on for these

img 51XX

Rocket Scientist Brian should be on the cover of GQ!

img 51XX

Kurt loads up a "Big Boy" rocket

img 51XX

This rocket is a bit noiser than the earlier ones

img 51XX

Scouts were a bit more casual on this launch

5182

The "Big Boy" Rockets go wayyyyyyy up there!

5184

The last "Big Boy" Rocket tilts the blast deflector as it leaves the pad

img 51XX




Even though the camera shoots at 6.5 frames/second, the rocket is outa there pretty darn quick!
Hit the "+" button 4 times to speed things up to real-time. Note the very first puff of ignition.
Use the controls to play, step, pause, slow-down, and/or speed-up the animation.
Play Step Into (pause at each frame) Pause     Decrease playback speed Increase playback speed     Frame Rate     ... loading images ...
Animated JPG



Use the controls to play, step, pause, slow-down, and/or speed-up the animation.
Play Step Into (pause at each frame) Pause     Decrease playback speed Increase playback speed     Frame Rate     ... loading images ...
Animated JPG



Check out the wobble on Jeff's rocket launch from 2011!!!
Use the controls to play, step, pause, slow-down, and/or speed-up the animation.
Play Step Into (pause at each frame) Pause     Decrease playback speed Increase playback speed     Frame Rate     ... loading images ...
Animated JPG