by Joel L. Schiff, NZRA & AAS
If you think that you have seen so many rocket launches already that you no longer get excited about them, have a look at the video below. The shear raw power of this launch is truly something that can stir even the most launch-jaded soul. While most of us will come no closer to such an event than this video, there is still a way to experience the same thrill but on a smaller scale. And that is through amateur rocketry.
We are not talking here of the fireworks you light a fuse to on Guy Fawkes night and send into an enemy neighbour's yard. Amateur rockets have fins for guidance and a parachute for recovery at their most basic level. Their fuel is generally a composite material very similar to what is used in the solid fuel boosters of the Space Shuttle. As the rockets become larger in size and more sophisticated, then altimeters, on-board computers, GPS devices and multiple stages become part of the space adventure.
The New Zealand Rocketry Association (NZRA) is a group of people, both male and female who are interested in model rocketry, who build model rockets, and launch them into the atomosphere. Ages can range from 6 to 106 and the NZRA is open to everyone who wishes to join us in reaching for the skies. The NZRA has been in existence in various forms since 1991 and is now having a resurgence in membership.
Model rocketry opens up many avenues for learning, and the great thing is, just like astronomy, the learning never stops. There is always more to explore and if you keep at it, you can become a true rocket scientist. Much of the learning is about science. There are all manner of rocket motors and rocket sizes: fat ones - thin ones, designs built for speed and altitude and some having 2 or even 3 stages. You learn what slows a rocket down and what makes it sleek and efficient. You learn how to measure the altitude that your rocket reaches and in some instances learn how to communicate with your rocket via the GPS satellite network. You can even mount a camera on your rocket and watch the Earth recede as the rocket reaches for the sky. Above all, you learn how much fun all this learning can be!
No matter what your level of skill or knowledge, there is always the personal pleasure of making something that can soar thousands of metres into the sky, the thrill of the liftoff, and the feeling of relief and satisfaction of a successful recovery.
One of the foremost aspects of model rocketry is that of safety. This is always a prime consideration in the construction of any model rocket as well as in its launching. When handled and built properly, a model rocket is simply not dangerous. At every NZRA launching, there are qualified experts on hand with many years of experience to supervise and control every aspect of rocket safety.
Every February we have a special Rocket Day launch to which the general public is invited to attend and participate in. This past year we had hundreds of people come along to our designated launch site in Taupiri, which is not far from Huntly. Dozens of young kids built 'have-a-go' rockets, learned a thing or two about Newton's Laws, and had a whale of a good time in the process. Several launch events for members and their families are also scheduled throughout the year.
So please won't you come and join us. It will be love at first flight! The NZRA website is full of rocketry information about our organization and how you can get started, and is where you can also join up for a mere $10 per year: http://www.nzrocketry.org.nz/.
