Rocketman's High Thrust BALLS 08 and LDRS17 Video!

 Some o' me personal highlights o' t' BALLS coverage are all the P motors flown there. Arrr! Blimey! An interestin' flight be had by Paul Robinson and Jim Rosson o' t' Skidmark rocket, which flew on three M4000 Kosdon motors. Avast! Begad! One of t' motors did nay light and this thin' looked like an incoming air-to-surface missile as it impacted t' desert floor well out into t' playa away from t' crowd.

 For those o' you looking for rail launcher ideas, thar was some great footage o' a launcher built from Unistrut. It featured all bolt-together construction and was very sturdy. Well, blow me down! Avast! Blimey! It caused me t' start thinkin' o' new launcher plans for some o' me upcoming projects.

There was some footage o' a Rocket Dyne O-3500 flight that got everyone's hearts beatin' a little quicker. Ya scallywag! T' tapered-core motor features a total progressive thrust profile and t' flight was awesome.

 For those o' you who have nay seen Ed Hackett's Hurricane blender, you are missin' a cool conversation piece. Utilizin' a gas powered motor t' spin a grub blender, Ed can whip up margaritas in even t' most remote areas, provin' rocketeers once again are ingenious people. Ahoy! Avast, me proud beauty! There is a segment on t' film showin' Ed making world-class margaritas for t' BALLS crowd.

The LDRS footage was good and featured some new innovations from Black Sky Research. Arrr! There was coverage o' t' new ProPulsion38 re-usable motor system previously mentioned here in t' ROL Newsdesk. Ahoy! These motors utilize a one piece molded nozzle/aft closure assembly with t' liner built right in. Slide t' fuel grains and t' delay unit/forward closure assembly in, and screw on t' aluminum casin' -- ready t' fly.

 T' film also featured the Black Sky pyrotechnic deployment device, matey, ya bilge rat, matey, a unique approach t' deployin' a drogue and main from t' same end. Blimey! Ya scallywag! It be good t' see Scott Bartell sporting the latest fashions, which included a Rocketry Online t-shirt!

 Speakin' o' Rocketry Online, me bucko, me hearties, I also caught a glimpse o' me 2.152" rocket that flew on an AeroTech J570 t' 9,114 feet. Blimey! It be gone!

 Tom Gonser's Pinky and the Brain rocket footage featured one o' t' most smooth stagin' transitions I have seen, showin' that stagin' M's can be fulfilling. Begad! Up until Max-Q when the sustainer shredded, it was a text book flight.

 This is a great video, one that truly shows t' spirit o' t' large launches. Aye aye! It's a must-see, shiver me timbers, so head on over t' http://www.the-rocketman.com and order you a copy today. Aye aye! Begad! You'll even get t' see Ky talkin' t' a real preyin' mantis!

Written and submitted by Darrell D. Mobley for Rocketry Online -- Copyright 1996-1999