MTA Work Event – January 20th, 2024

by Dave Nordling and Joel Cool-Panama, Secretary, RRS.ORG


The RRS held a work event at the Mojave Test Area (MTA) on Saturday, January 20th. The primary purpose of this meeting was to give Joel Feree, our contact with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), an in-person tour of the whole MTA, so that he could get an idea as to what we were working with for our collaboration with American Artist which will involve the recreation of the 1936 Guggenheim Aeronautical Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology (GALCIT) prototype liquid rocket engine. This was Joel Ferree’s first time at the MTA and he gained much insight into how we’ll be seeing the project through. Dimitri Timohovich also used his experience in the film industry to highlight some practical aspects for the production. Following this meeting, Dave Nordling, Dimitri, and Joel Ferree came up with a timeline for the project. Dave Nordling, serving as the project leader, is working hard to get hardware ready for an initial firing by our membership at the MTA. Once the system is proven to work reliably and safely, the static firing of this replica will be the centerpiece of the filming to take place at the MTA.

On the same day, four student representatives of Loyola Marymount University’s rocketry team came to meet with Dave Nordling. They intend to build a custom hybrid motor, which they plan to static fire at the MTA. Dave gave them some points on their motor and feed system designs, which they can certainly appreciate, given that this is their first experimental rocket project. Rushd Julfiker and Dave will continue to advise the team on their propellant loading system and ignition system, and they may well use a firing box of Dimitri’s design.

While there, Dave and Dimitri worked on moving some of the society assets from the Dosa Building to the new Bldg. 14 office container.  This was done partly to declutter the working space, in order to make it into a meeting and workspace once more. If the lease does end next year, then Polaris will be removing many items of theirs which are also in the Dosa Building, including refrigerators, stove, and laminar flow bench. Polaris is required according to the terms of the lease to notify the RRS Executive Council of the movement of their assets.

According to Dimitri, a company called Tortuga Industries has reportedly bought 183 acres of land along Munsey Road. According to the rumors, they are looking to turn their parcel into a private duck hunting reserve, complete with a large pond.

Dimitri also reported that Crisalli is taking the initiative to fix the northern road running along the eastern side of the MTA property. Gordon has so far filled in the trench near the northeastern corner of the property, removed the concrete barricades, and installed a gate across the road. He has reportedly been using this northern route himself, dragging it several times in the process. He reports that the 4 miles of the northern road leading to the highway is now certainly passable, albeit the creek bed is still soft as of this writing. The RRS still recommends all visitors and users of the MTA continue to use the western (Munsey) road from Cantil until further improvements can be made.  The RRS MTA has access gates along the eastern border but they are rarely used.

Next monthly meeting will be February 9th.

Next work event at the MTA is planned for February 17th. This will depend on planned Polaris operations which could close the access easement road. Coordination with Polaris will be required.


MTA Launch Event, 2023-11-24

by Dave Nordling, President, RRS.ORG


The RRS met at the Mojave Test Area for a work event on the 60-foot launch rail project. While we were there, we had a launch or two thanks to Bill Inman and Keith Yoerg. The pyrotechnic operator in charge for that day was Keith Yoerg.

Bill brought one of his older rocket bodies. Unfortunately he had a mishandling error on the pad which broke one of his fins requiring repair. His mission was to test the avionics package that he will use in flight on the Solar Cat. Keith launched some smaller Estes model rockets to show one of our youngest potential members the basics of rocketry.

The work event benefited from having Osvaldo Tarditti, Joe Dominguez and Dimitri Timohovich moving the donated ham radio tower to the 40-foot flatbed next to Bldg. 11 for inspection. The goal was to fully extend the tower and examine its condition to see what modifications are necessary to use it in our 60-foot launch rail design.

Our thanks goes to member, Waldo Stakes, for finding and donating this old galvanized steel ham radio tower which can be reinforced, modified and slightly lengthened to create the stiff backbone for the launch rail guide. The tower was designed to be extensible, but the society will fully extend and fuse it at its full length. Several areas of repair were identified but with a little persistence and forcible persuasion, the structure was extended in preparation for the next event when our welder will start the initial work at the next work event in 2 weeks.

Our director of research, Rushd Julfiker, was selected as the project manager for this major infrastructure item that should allow university teams to launch from the RRS Mojave Test Area. With the basic requirements set at the first meeting, the sketches produced will be converted to CAD drawing files with Rushd’s assistance. Initial material procurement will begin as the backbone frame has been found to be acceptable for use in the design.

The loads are being carefully calculated along with sizing the dual-acting hydraulic ram system for raising and lowering. Waldo Stakes also found a pair of 3-inch cylinders and an electric hydraulic pump in surplus and donated them to the society. Their specifications are being assessed if they can be used which would save some costs.

In the days following the event, we put in wooden privacy panels in the windows of Bldg’s 14 and 15 both for security and improved insulation. The society will soon be discussing how to minimally furnish the interiors for functional needs only including some storage of our consumables. No pyrotechnics will be stored in these containers. Both Bldg 14 and 15 have air conditioners and insulation but still require connections to power. In the short term, each can be powered by our portable gasoline generator. In the near term, once fully funded the society will power both assets from a larger diesel generator we recently acquired.

Dimitri spoke about finding another 40-foot container which could be used for an on-site workshop at the RRS MTA (potentially new Bldg. 16). The council will have to consider this addition at the next meeting.

Lastly, Dimitri installed a solar powered light just above one of the restroom doors which will help our overnight guests find their way to sanitary relief on a moonless night.

Our launch pad pour was delayed to December 9th due to concrete availability. We’re making it thicker than most anticipating the greater loads of the launch rail structure. Our next work event at the MTA will coincide with the pad pour where we will continue the 60-foot launch rail work starting with the launch rail backbone. Materials will be procured in advance of the next meeting.

Also, our last monthly meeting of the year will be the day before, December 8th, 7:30pm, where election results for next year’s executive council will be announced. Also, it was declared that the December meeting will be our much anticipated pizza party funded by the accumulated funds from the RRS Amazon Smile account, now discontinued. Please arrive early at the front office of the Compton/Woodley Airport.