Category Archives: Events

Events CORSA is hosting or participating in

CORSA Launches

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Do you need help launching a model rocket?
Do you want to launch rockets with us?
Would you like to watch dozens of rockets launch high into the sky?

If  you are seeking like-minded people to launch with, need help getting your rocket in the air, or just want to watch exciting launches, the CORSA monthly launch is for you. We are a group of model rocket enthusiasts and want to share our enthusiasm with other people.

CORSA events are free to attend and easy to participate in.

Held the third Saturday of each month (weather permitting); located at Freedom Park in Sunbury, or at a local farm field. Check the events calendar for location. CORSA launches are fun and exciting for kids and adults.

If you need help launching a rocket, just show up.   Our club members have a combined 120 years of model rocket experience.  We will be able to help you.
If you want to launch with us, just bring your rockets and your motors.  Launch pads are provided and participation is free.
If you want to watch, just show up with a chair . The launch is ordinarily from 11am to at least 2pm.

Parking is free and so is the event.
You may wish to bring chairs, a table for preparing your rockets, sunscreen, water, or snacks.

Additionally, if your scout troop, 4-H club, library, or class wants to have a rocketry project, contact us! We love to do build sessions, presentations, and launches for youth groups!

Cub Scout Pack 116 Launch

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The weather was nearly perfect Saturday as we welcomed the Cub Scouts from Dublin Pack 116 to Freedom Park in Sunbury for a great day of rocket launches. The scouts were eager and attentive, and they did a great job of preparing and launching their rockets. Thanks to Lara and Eric, and the great Cub Scouts of Pack 116.

On August 14, Kevin, Curtis, and Ed had gone to Bailey Elementary in Dublin, to meet with the scouts. We discussed rocketry concepts and safety, and assisted them in the construction of Estes UP Aerospace Spaceloft kits. These are minimum diameter mini-motor (13mm diameter) kits with one-piece fin cans. The black body tubes were tricky to mark, but the scouts did a great job – as they did with all aspects of construction.

The Cub Scouts flew those on 1/2A3-4T motors, with excellent results in 42 launches. There were a few that had issues like shock cord separation, but generally they worked well. We were able to help repair most of the damaged rockets and fly them again. We had nagging problems with igniters; I believe that much of the cause was those tiny little mini-motors (and maybe to some extent, fidgety Cub Scouts!). Most of the failures were shorts at the motor nozzle – it was just difficult to keep the leads apart in that tiny opening.

Some of the scouts brought a few other rockets to launch, and club members and visitors had some too. After the scouts flew the rockets from their build session with us, we started launching the others. The winds were a bit tricky, and there were some searches in the weeds. I think they were mostly successful – it would be a shame to lose some of that great craftsmanship.

Motors used:

47 – 1/2A (including 42 build-session rockets)
3 – A
6 – B
6 – C

A special thanks goes to the CORSA club members who came to support the launch. Thanks for making our range operations so smooth and efficient!

And thanks to Hobbyland for bringing such a great group of people! I hope to see some of them at our meetings – there is clearly a lot we can learn about great finishing techniques. Hobbyland put some pictures on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/hobbylandstores/

Someone took this great launch shot and gave it to me – I’d credit him, but didn’t catch his name.

Space Weekend

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Space Weekend

To celebrate National Space Day, and to honor John Glenn, the Columbus Clippers celebrated Space Weekend at their games on May 6 and 7. They invited CORSA to set up a display, along with COSI, OSU and NASA. Curtis, Bob, Chuck, Michael, and Ed were there to show attendees what model rocketry is about, and to answer their questions.

Girls and boys of all ages were curious about our exhibit, and eager to learn more. We encouraged them to get started with entry level kits, and to visit our website, and NAR’s. This was a very successful project that inspired lots of visitors, and we enjoyed it too!

Curtis, Michael, Ed, and Bob staff the exhibit

Chuck and Bob talk rockets with interested visitor

Cub Scout Launch is a BLAST!

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Parents and scouts enjoying a smooth safe launch.

Parents and scouts enjoying a smooth safe launch.

Cub Scout troop 701 in Sunbury, Ohio successfully launched their rocket projects this past Sunday. CORSA provided full launch support which allowed the scouts the experience a genuine NAR sport launch. Each flier filled out a launch card every time they flew. Erich Zahn provided assistance with packing recovery systems, and inserting motors/igniters to those who needed it. After the rockets were ready, the scouts had their rockets checked out by Paul Demus who was the RSO (Range Safety Officer), then proceeded to Ed Hingsbergen who was the LCO (Launch Control Officer) for their final trek out to the pad. 30 different fliers flew a total of 55 flights. There were no CATO’s or RUD’s but a few rockets did experience recovery failures including one “heads up” lawn dart. The motor report for the launch is:
…
1/2A – 4
A – 24
B – 10
C – 4
unknown – 13

A small sample of the many rockets the scouts flew.

A small sample of the many rockets the scouts flew.

The scouts flew a variety of Rockets. There was a Estes Mini Fat Boy in a red white and blue paint scheme, an Alpha III, a Shuttle Xpress, two Phantom Blues that went up solo then were launched in a drag race, and many, many others.

Scouts and parents didn’t just show up, fly, and leave. Many questions were asked and answered as the crowd made observations about flights. A scout asked why the rockets seemed to float sideways (parallel to the ground) before ejection. A CORSA member explained the relationship of the wind, center of gravity, center of pressure and why the rocket floated sideways. After seeing all the different motors people were using one parent asked what all the numbers and letters meant on the side of the motor. Paul Demus explained the code which prompted even more questions. It was good to see the participants engaging in rocket discussions.

The scouts and their parents gradually left with the smell of black powder in their rockets and smiles on their faces.

CORSA members Paul Demus (left) and Ed Hingsbergen review launch operations before scouts arrive.

CORSA members Paul Demus (left) and Ed Hingsbergen review launch operations before scouts arrive.

CORSA members Paul Demus and Erich Zahn are ready to help the scouts.

CORSA members Paul Demus and Erich Zahn are ready to help the scouts.

5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 - LAUNCH!

5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1 – LAUNCH!

Rocket Team at OSU Launch Support

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CORSA Director Lloyd Newman assists a first time rocketeer at the pad.

CORSA Director Lloyd Newman (left) assists a first time rocketeer at the pad.

By- Erich Zahn NAR 98427 and President of the Rocket Club at The Ohio State University

The purpose of the Ohio State rocket launch was to give our new members experience building and launching a low powered rocket (LPR) and also to have fun. Considering many of the new members did not have any experience with rockets, this was their chance to start learning about rocketry. We bought an educational pack of Estes Vulcan Rockets for everyone to build. It was fairly cheap and was able to be put together with wood glue in about an hour so it was the perfect model to give our members for one of the first meetings. It was active enough to get them excited for the school year and for the club but critical enough that they had to think about the design of their model. With the Vulcans we used Estes B6-4 motors since they could be launched in a nearby field without risk of losing the rockets.

That next week we launched the rockets at a nearby park with the help of the newly formed NAR chapter the Central Ohio Rocketry and Spacemodeling Alliance (CORSA). The members of CORSA were generous enough to bring their launch stand so that we could launch multiple rockets at once. As well as ensuring the general smooth running of the launch, they were also able to help out the rocket team when the friction fit motors were slipping out the back of the rockets. There were still several motor separations but without their help half of the rockets may not have been able to launch. Throughout the entire launch there were many “wows!” and lots of talk on how their flight went as well as how the current flight is going; lots of “that was a good one” or laughing if it spun out of control. One member expressed their excitement by stating they wanted to start launching their own rockets. Luckily there were no CATO’s; however, there was one case where the center of pressure (CP) was too far away from the center of gravity (CG) and the rocket spun out of control nearly 20 feet off of the launch pad. No one was hurt but everyone was given the spectacle of a failed launch. Overall everyone enjoyed the launch! They appreciated the help and shared knowledge from the CORSA members. This was a great launch to start out the semester with and I know all of them look forward to more launches in the future!

 

Members of the Rocket Team at The Ohio State University installing their motors before flight.

Members of the Rocket Team at The Ohio State University installing their motors before flight.

Rocket Team President and CORSA Member Erich Zahn assists a team member at the pad.

Rocket Team President and CORSA Member Erich Zahn (left) assists a team member at the pad.

Lloyd Newman, CORSA Director, assists Erich Zahn, Rocket Team President and CORSA member, with failure analysis on a rocket motor that failed to ignite.

Lloyd Newman (left), CORSA Director, assists Erich Zahn, Rocket Team President and CORSA member, with failure analysis on a rocket motor that failed to ignite.

Lift off!

Lift off!

Members of the Rocket Team at The Ohio State University ready for launch.

Members of the Rocket Team at The Ohio State University ready for launch.

Members of the Rocket Team at The Ohio State University ready for launch.

Members of the Rocket Team at The Ohio State University ready for launch.

Another successful lift off!

Another successful lift off!

Erich Zahn, Rocket Team President and CORSA member, assists other rocket team members at the pad.

Erich Zahn(right), Rocket Team President and CORSA member, assists other rocket team members at the pad.

Presentation to Cub Scout Troop 701

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Cub Scout Troop 701.

By – Ed Hingsbergen NAR 71396

On September 14, Lloyd and I attended a meeting of Sunbury Cub Scout Troop 701. Lloyd gave an energetic presentation of an introduction to model rocketry. He described what does and does not constitute a model rocket,and talked about the forces at work on a rocket in flight. He also explained the model rocket safety code, and how observing it leads to a remarkably safe and exciting hobby.

Lloyd N. NAR #97987 explains what a shock cord is & why it's important.

Lloyd N. NAR #97987 explains what a shock cord is & why it’s important.

The Scouts were attentive and engrossed, and full of questions. After the presentation, they were anxious to get a close look at the rockets Lloyd had brought, and learn all that they could. Lloyd and I enjoyed the opportunity to work with the Cub Scouts, and look forward to working with them at their launch planned for September 27.