Team America Rocketry Challenge Nationals 2012

Team America Rocketry Challenge Nationals 2012

5-17-2012 ~ Blog #450

(David)

Last weekend the Immaculate Heart of Mary School Rocket Team 1 joined the St. Vincent/St. Mary High School Rocket Teams 4 & 5 for a bus trip to the 2012 Team America Rocketry Challenge Nationals in Great Meadow in The Plains, Virginia.  Our score was 52.71 which put us in 55th place.  The conditions were hot and dead calm.  Our rocket peaked at 822 feet which was 22 feet over the target of 800'.  Our decent time was about 10.25 seconds longer than the 43-47 second target window; it appeared that our parachute caught a thermal.  St. Vincent Team 5 made it into the second round in 16th place with a score of 19.07.  I believe their round 2 flight apogeed at a tragic 725'; they ended the competition in 20th place.  St. Vincent Team 4 ended up in 67th place with a score of 64.82.  IHM and Saint V teams are now questioning the consistency of the power output of the Cesaroni reloadable motors.  On the plus side, they do ignite and eject reliably and we have yet to have one explode, which are all too likely attributes of Aerotech motors.

 On Sunday we attended Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, followed by: a visit to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, dinner at Carmine's and then played Frisbee at the DC Tidal Pool.  I'd like to give a big thank you to our generous sponsor: National Machine Group.
 

Friday Night Orientation

After a 6.5 hour bus ride to Manassas VA, the IHM and Saint V teams joined 98 other teams from across the country

(and the Virgin Islands) for a pep assembly and orientation meeting at a local school.

TARC Nationals Flight 1

 Immaculate Heart of Mary School Rocket Team 1 arriving at TARC Nationals

 St. Vincent/St. Mary High School Rocket Team 5 heading out to Goddard Range for Round 1 of Flight 1

IHM Team 1 heading out to the prep area for Round 2 of Flight 1

Many teams dress up in themes for the "best Dresses" team award

I was rooting for the Star Wars team.  They acted in character and had several chants

 St. Vincent/St. Mary & IHM Tent

Round 1 of Flight 1 begins

IHM Team 1 heading out to VonBraun Range for Round 2 of Flight 1

Two teams from the Virgin Islands qualified for TARC Nationals. 

I talked with the coach a bit, they paid for their supplies and trip with bake sales and car washes.

IHM Team 1 Alpha Rocket launching from VonBraun Range in Round 2 of Flight 1

(Next 8 photos)

Some rocket motors tend to be a bit explodie

 St. Vincent/St. Mary High School Rocket Team 4 heading out to Goddard Range for Round 3 of Flight 1

IHM Team 1 returning from VonBraun Range after Round 2 of Flight 1

Random TARC tent; these folks made it into Flight 2

 St. Vincent/St. Mary High School Rocket Team 4's rocket launching from Goddard Range in Round 3 of Flight 1.

The rocket's motor hiccuped right after it cleared the launch pad which threw off its trajectory.

 St. Vincent/St. Mary High School Rocket Team 4 listening to the disappointing altitude code of their rocket's altimeter

Another TARC rocket malfunction

High Power Rocketry Demonstration

NAR put on a high power rocketry demonstration between TARC Flights 1 & 2

I love the mega mosquito, patterned after the simple Estes 3.8 inch original version

Some big rockets can malfunction as well.  I think the one below was a hybrid liquid/solid propelant.

This one had two angled motors

Mega Mosquito

TARC Nationals Flight 2

We were able to visit the range for a few minutes during the beginning of Flight 2

TARC Nationals Awards

Third Place

Second Place

First Place

 Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception Mass

St. Vincent/St. Mary High School Rocket Team Coach Bob Engles

Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

The last time I was in Washing DC or the Air and Space Museum was when I was 16.  I could have spent the entire day there

(like I did 31 years ago), but we had less than two hours.

WWII is always my favorite

The Wright flyer now has its own room

The Rocket Team naturally liked the rocket room

V2

The National Dirt Mound is supposedly made from a cubic yard from every county in the nation.

Another waste of taxpayer's money if you ask me.

Dinner at Carmine's

Frisbee at the DC Tidal Pool