The Sci-Squad Launch Report - Playing Hooky in Livermore

by Bob Fortune, LUNAR #660

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Photo 1. The Sci-Squad production crew. L-to-r Producer, director, gaffer, actor, soundman. (photo by Jack Hagerty)

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Photo 2. Setting up a "take." (photo by Tom Hail)

There was a post on the Usenet rocketry discussion group in September from a gent named Pierre Valette who is a TV producer for Quest Productions (no relation to the model rocket company). He was looking for rocketeers to participate in a project that Quest was working on for the Discovery Channel called Sci-Squad. Sci-Squad is a show for adolescents featuring a comely 18-year old who travels around the world having scientific adventures. I passed the info along to LUNAR president Jack Hagerty and Jack pulled out all the stops to set up a bona fide launch midweek for the film crew. About 8 of us showed up to fly rockets (we played hooky from work is what actually happened) for the crew and starlet. Hopefully we'll see Jack, the starlet, and all the rockets on the small screen early next year.

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Photo 3. "Aaaaaaaand Action!" (photo by Tom Hail)

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Photo 4. Tom Hail hooks up the Tomahawk while the Director sets up a low shot. (photo by Jack Hagerty)

The LUNAR field is rated up to "H" motors, but none could be flown unless someone with a California pyrotechnic license is present. Hey, it's California, but what the heck. That was taken care of when a gentleman named Tom Rouse arrived pulling a trailer with his ICANo CATS project on board. CATS is a contest to encourage development of Cheap Access To Space. The first prize is $250,000 for the first private group to put a payload up 200 km (about 120 miles). Tom is a building contractor in San Jose, my hometown and is a member of both LUNAR and Aero-Pac. What a piece of work his ICANo CATS is, a gorgeous hunk of aluminum handmade in loving detail by Rocket Dyne Systems. It's a two stager, S to Q. Need I say more?

We helped Tom set up this beast, about 24' long, on the sidewalk near the range head. It will fly the CATS tracking payload and a satellite called "Barnacle" made by Santa Clara University. One cop came by, then another, then 2 more later on, then the fire captain, then a fire truck, then another fire truck, another fire captain, and one last cop....I guess word got out quick for Livermore's a smallish town.

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Photo 5. Tom's Tomahawk takes flight on camera! (photo by Jack Hagerty)

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Photo 6. Warren Massey hooks up the "experimental" finless Alpha. (photo by Jack Hagerty)

Tom intends to fly his creation in Canada as part of the CATS contest in early 1999 so wish him the best of luck. For more info on this rocket see the ICANo web page at http://www.icano.org/.

Most of us got to fly a couple of rockets with Warren Massey getting off the first and most flights. The director picked three of his models to use for the first sequence, launched as a drag race. They ultimately wanted four takes of this launch: a second take because they missed the first one (the rockets "took off too fast"); a third take from a long range camera, and a fourth take "for sound" – all picture perfect launches. Warren is the equipment meister for LUNAR and is a true craftsman and creative genius.

Mine was next, a 54mm BT G10-finned creation I call the Cub Scout. It has a Glaspar probe extending through the nose cone about 2 feet long on which I skewered 2 marshmallows as "external payload", hence the "cub scout" moniker. It's really a scientific rocket to test the effects of transonic speeds on food products. Two good flights and recoveries to my delight. Next I'll try a hot dog – maybe a polish.

[Ed. See Bob's article describing his Cub Scout on-line at http://www.starship.org/LUNAR/LUNARclips/v5/v5n6/CubScout.html]

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Photo 7. Starlet with finless Alpha. (photo by Jack Hagerty)

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Photo 8. Flew as well as we thought it would. (photo by Jack Hagerty)

Next up was Tony Cooper's big NCR X-wing, great flight and no-breakum recovery which he followed with an AT Barracuda. As a finale he flew his scratch built SR-71 BlackBird on an H128. That got their attention!

Also seen was a LOC I-ROC by Ed Arminini, a beautiful Tomahawk by Tom Hail (which the cameraman doted on much to the chagrin of the owner...NOT!), and a couple of other nice rockets the names and owners of which I forget; sorry boys.

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Photo 9. Tom Rouse's ICANo CATS rocket, without nosecone. (photo by Jack Hagerty)

Blue skies, scudding clouds, a light breeze, and sneaking out of work all made for a fine day! The filming was pretty boring though the crew was cordial and patient. They even treated everyone for lunch after the launch.

Photos 3-11 show some of the days action. A great day and way better than working!

Information date: November 14, 1998 lk