We had our own little "October Sky", except in August. B decided that he would do the space exploration merit badge at scout camp and then use some money he got for his birthday to buy another rocket, launch pad, and more engines. Then, it was off to a big open field to launch his new rocket. (His rocket from scout camp needs a piece "fabricated" so that it can be repaired.)
The first launch was with a test engine that sent it 200 feet.
I missed the best picture by seconds, R and C running with their hands in the air, just before R caught it. But here is a picture of the second it was caught.
After the first launch, B had to switch out the engine, re-pack the wadding, and prepare for the second launch. (And C had to model the used engine.)
The second engine sent it 1100 feet. That was high enough that we lost sight of it for a while. Even though there was very little wind and we tried to calculate for what little wind there was, the air currents at 1100 feet sent the rocket heading for the river. Thankfully it landed before ending up in the water. Here is everyone chasing after it.
The second landing caused the loss of a couple of tail fins so we had to quit for the day. B came home, made repairs, and now we are looking forward to another launch sometime soon. It was tons of fun.
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