LUNAR’clips 2003                        Volume 10, Number 2

Copyright © 2003 by LUNAR, All rights reserved.

Advice for Night Launches

With our next launch being at night, here's some advice for the occasion:

First, let me assume you are flying low-power. The requirements for lights are more strict for high-power.

You can use glow sticks. The problem with glow sticks is that they are heavy. Places that sell stuff for raves do sell small glow sticks that people put in their mouths (yuk). Those are quite small and lightweight, but not very bright.

Here's some ideas based on my first night launch. I've since become a little more sophisticated. The following are just quick and dirty ideas to get you started.

1. Go to Fry's or a place that sells electronic parts and buy a kit called "Blinking Lights" or something to that effect. It basically consists of two LEDs and a chip that makes the LEDs alternate. They usually require a 9V battery, but with some modifications, you can get it to work with a bunch of coin batteries in series. The whole thing should fit in a Nova Payloader.

2. Go to a bicycle shop. I found this strap that night joggers wear. It consists of LEDs that blink and run off a coin battery. The strap is somewhat flexible, so you can fold it in half and stuff it in your Nova Payloader.

3. Look for blinking jewelry. I'm not sure what the real name is, but you can find it at places that sell stuff for raves or on eBay. These are pretty bright and run on tiny hearing-aid type batteries. You can put it in your Nova Payloader or just tape it to the outside of any other rocket with clear packing tape. I use these for the booster section of my Cosmic Cobra. The brighter the better, but you'd be amazed at how easy it is to see the blinking LEDs against the dark sky.

4. Be sure to bring a flashlight. If your lights fail, you'll need it to search for your rocket. :)

5. Dress warm.

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