Chris LaPanse

Yeah. I didn’t have a good two weeks, with both the M1300 (not 2300 like it says on the caption) and K1440 cato. Luckily, I had a great flight on an M4770 on Sunday here, and hopefully the bad streak…   Read more»

Absolutely. I’d be glad to loan you the handheld (and help you set it up) if you want.

Really? I’d fly warp in plain QT, honestly. It’s surprisingly difficult to shred a body tube from thrust alone.I partly agree, but mostly disagree…. you can’t fly QT in minimum diameter as it will melt. So you are putting a…   Read more»

Really? I’d fly warp in plain QT, honestly. It’s surprisingly difficult to shred a body tube from thrust alone.

Adrian: that’s a 3d view. It’s a bit easier to see when you’re actually in google earth.

They’ve been at orbit for a while with the Falcon 1, but this is a significantly heavier-lift vehicle. Definitely a great accomplishment.

Ahh, I see now. I would think that containment would have been enough, but I do think that maybe the glass coupler bound. I’d be surprised if the charge were the problem, given your charge system.

Was it only connected up to that mark on the coupler? If so, that does seem awfully short, and it lends credence to the idea that maybe the coupler bound.Warren: Doubled? 4+g in a 4″? I’m sure it separates quite…   Read more»

How short was the connection area after the coupler was shortened? The only theory I have that even remotely makes sense is that perhaps the coupler bound – glass and carbon tend to do that when only inserted a short…   Read more»

It was quite irritating, but the damage isn’t as bad as I had initially feared. Right now, it’s looking like I might be able to fix it in time for LDRS after all, although there’s certainly no guarantee. All that…   Read more»

Oooh – excellent. You got video of my L3 😀

Honestly, I won’t trust any forecasts until Wednesday or so. I know that they post 10 day forecasts, but the odds of them actually being correct seem pretty slim.

I agree, and if I were to guess, I would say Friday afternoon I will be able to do some work, as well as possibly Saturday afternoon. I just don’t want to promise when I might not be free at…   Read more»

I agree. I think the “Range RSO” position could be filled by the LCO reasonably well though, with the “Rocket RSO” position as separate. That would only require 3 simultaneous positions to be filled, which I think is doable.Oh, and…   Read more»

I’m not convinced that it’s unrealistic – as I said, if there were a separate RSO table, the RSO could inspect each rocket as the flyer is filling out a flight card. Two RSOs can easily handle an LDRS-size volume…   Read more»

What do you mean by “we are both”? Do you mean that we are both LCO and RSO? If so, that shouldn’t be the case at the larger launches (Mayhem, Oktoberfest). I know that it sometimes is the case at…   Read more»

I disagree. The RSO’s primary job is to inspect the rockets prior to flight, and ensure the rocket and motor combination selected is likely to have a safe flight. The LCO is more in control of the range once a…   Read more»

As for RSO, it would be nice if this year we had the RSO set up with the flight cards in a tent slightly distanced from the pad lines (as is often done at large events), as in the past,…   Read more»

I’d be happy to LCO or RSO some as needed, but I can’t promise a specific time (my first priority is my L3 and a couple of alphabet flights, but after that I’ll be free to LCO).As for RSO, it…   Read more»

Thanks Scott. I have not laughed so hard in a while.Hey Joe, what size motor should I put in this one? ……just give me the biggest one that will fit! That’s what it all about, eh?Yep. You’ll see just how…   Read more»