GeekDad at Rocket Mavericks

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GeekDad at Rocket Mavericks
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In response to our high power rocket post, Ken Denmead of GeekDad points us to coverage on their blog of the Rocket Mavericks event, with some awesome pics. The first one above is a time-lapsed night photo. The author of the piece, Steve Jurvetson, writes:

…the motor failed, and broke the rocket in two, but the avionics computer survived in the upper section, popping the parachute as programmed, and the blinky-LED nose cone drifted back to the playa like a spiral candy cane in the sky.

The second image is a rocket powered by a Q motor. That, claims the author, is equivalent to 64,000 Estes-type motors (what size Estes motors?) or four times the total thrust of a Cruise Missile booster! Unfortunately, the home-brewed motor had an air pocket in it and ruptured under pressure. Last year, this same builder launched a similar rocket at BALLS to over 31,000 meters (101, 000 ft)! Here’s a vid capture of the apogee.

GeekDad Rocketry on Steroids

4 thoughts on “GeekDad at Rocket Mavericks

  1. Jurvetson says:

    that screen in in meters, not feet… so it was over 100K ft. up (not 31K), and still supersonic… =)

  2. Gareth Branwyn says:

    Oops. Thanks for that clarification, Steve. Even more amazing.

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Gareth Branwyn is a freelance writer and the former Editorial Director of Maker Media. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books on technology, DIY, and geek culture. He is currently a contributor to Boing Boing, Wink Books, and Wink Fun. His free weekly-ish maker tips newsletter can be found at garstipsandtools.com.

View more articles by Gareth Branwyn

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