Nineteen members of the Hometown Helpers Community Club and their parents traveled to Hutchinson, KS, on Saturday, June 10, for the forty-third annual Kansas Rocket Aero Modeler’s Open. The launch was sponsored by KOSMO (The Kansas Organization for Space Modeling). KOSMO is a group of families and individuals in Kansas who have a common interest in model rocketry. KOSMO is a chartered Section of the National Association of Rocketry (NAR).
The launch took place on a beautiful, overcast day in the Hutchinson State Fair parking lot. Each rocket launch was announced over a loud speaker by KOSMO. Announcements sounded something like this: “On launchpad 3 we have Felicity Dohl of the Hometown Helpers Community Club in Sylvan Grove, KS. She is launching an Apogee Apprentice rocket with a C6 motor. Her rocket is called Snoopy. Countdown 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.” Participants enjoyed counting down for each rocket and watching the launches.
Hometown Helpers members, who wanted to, were able to launch their rockets multiple times. The Apogee Apprentice rockets were fitted with C6-5 motors, which enabled them to go over 1000 feet into the air and disappear from sight. Participants had to scan the skies to see when and where their rockets would come down.
