by Dave Nordling, President, RRS.ORG
A small working group of RRS members and the director of research met at the RRS MTA to discuss ideas and proposals for a 60-foot launch rail suitable for liquid fueled rockets to be flown from the RRS MTA. This project is the society’s next primary focus for infrastructure upgrades to provide greater support to the amateur rocket community. The society will soon appoint a project leader from within our membership to lrad and complete this task.
Over this year, many ideas have been circulated but none thus far have provided detailed plans. As this is a fully funded project, the society will take this on internally using best practices seen with other rocketry groups. The working group made several key design decisions about the 60-foot launch rail:
Launch rail will be a fixed asset operating only at the RRS MTA
Launch rail will have at least 60-feet of rail length using 2-inch aluminum extrusion
Rockets will be placed on top of the rail with a maximum height of 42-inches from ground level.
Launch rail will be raised and lowered by a hydraulic lift system.
Launch rail will have its own thick launch pad just parallel and to the north of the existing Claybaugh pad and launcher. A quote from our supplier has been received.
The launch rail project has begun immediately and more progress statements will be coming in the next months. Several key components in the new launch rail are already at the MTA.
Progress will be reported at next RRS monthly meeting at the Compton-Woodley Airport at 730pm, November 10, 2023.