Today, January 6, 2023 marks the 80th anniversary of the Reaction Research Society.
Founded in 1943 by George James, this small club of young boys gathered in Glendale to study and conduct experiments in reaction propulsion. It all began with a child’s chemistry set that included zinc and sulfur powder as a demonstration of exothermic reactions. This would lead to rockets and newer propellants and ever increasingly complicated experiments in the remote northern areas of Los Angeles from Mint Canyon to Rosamond to our present location east of Koehn Dry Lake. Many members of the Reaction Research Society have pursued professional aerospace careers making important contributions to the field.
In the war years of the 1940’s, rocketry was more the subject of science fiction and speculation than the robust science it is today in the early 21st century. Our society has seen eight decades of growth as a collective group of enthusiasts and colleagues supporting research and offering shared testing spaces while remaining dedicated to responsible projects and scientific progress. It is with pride that we share this milestone with the public on a bold new year of launch, facility improvement and looking forward to the future.
Photo credit: Mani Suri
Our month meetings are held at 7:30pm on the second Friday of each month by teleconference and in person at the front office of the Compton/Woodley Airport on Alondra Blvd. in Compton. For details, contact the RRS secretary.
The RRS held its monthly meeting on November 13th. The teleconference brought several of us together again from different parts of the city and around the country.
The November 2020 monthly meeting by teleconference
PAST EVENTS
The society discussed the prior launch event at the MTA held on November 7, 2020. Details of the event are in the firing report posted this month. More RRS members are buidling more rockets and this is a good trend, We were not able to work on site improvements at the event, but these tasks can be resumed at the next event.
Bent panel on the vertical thrust stand to be removed and replaced.
The 2020 Constitution Committee is almost ready to release the recommended draft with updated policy listings according to RRS vice-president Frank Miuccio who is the single executive council representative on the committee. Release of the draft will go out in December 2020. If ratified by the voting membership, this new Constitution will clarify RRS rules and policies and supersede all past revisions.
FACILITY UPGRADES AT THE MOJAVE TEST AREA
The society discussed the current progress of facility upgrades approved by the executive council. At the top of the list is a new restroom facility. A couple contractor bids are forthcoming with one being delivered just a few hours before the meeting. Cost is an important consideration and other designs besides a block and concrete design are being considered. Containerized, portable systems may offer an effective solution with fewer complications.
The council approved the construction of a similar pit toilet like the one being used now at the MTA. The second toilet is meant to replace the first as it will not be usable for much longer. A few RRS members are already working to put in this stop-gap measure until the better facility can be selected and funded.
Second pit toilet at the MTA approved as stop-gap measure.
Other site upgrades discussed at the meeting was replacement of the roof structure on the existing blockhouse which would be a temporary but safer solution until a new structure can br funded and built. Another was removal and replacement of the bent panel on the vertical thrust stand which may be done at the next launch event. Still another improvement option is purchasing some of the existing containers from our tenant for more storage space at the site and a water storage tank.
The blockhou at the RRS mTA. Replacement of the roof would enhance the safety of this shelter.
Other improvements include locked and secured areas for high-pressure gas bottles and cryogenic liquid cylindeers. Towable water-spraying trailers have also been discussed to augment fire-fighting at the MTA. A larger launch rail system for heavier liquid rockets at the RRS MTA is also being considered.
DONATE TO THE RRS THROUGH AMAZON SMILE
Amazon Smile is a program that allows Amazon to donate a small percentage of eligible purchases to a non-profit group, such as the Reaction Research Society.
go to Amazon Smile and see for yourself
You first enter: smile.amazon.com
then select the Reaction Research Society as your chosen recipient. There is no extra cost to you and you allow the RRS to recieve quarterly donations from Amazon when sufficient purchase amounts have been made in that quarter. With the holiday season approaching, this is a simple way to benefit the RRS and the many activities we support.
For more details and assistance, contact Chris Lujan or just go to Amazon Smile.
NOMINATIONS FOR EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
As per the Constitution, the society holds nominations at the November monthly meeting for the four elected executive council positions. Terms will start in the new calendar year, First, an election chairman is appointed by the council. This person can not run for office in that election cycle. Dave Nordling was selected as election chairman.
Only administrative members in active status can be nominated and hold office. The nominees will be listed on the ballots going out to the eligible voting membership. Ballots will be sent by email which underscores the importance of all members keeping their contact information up to date with the RRS treasurer. Also, one of the requirements of active membership is being current with dues payments also tracked by the RRS treasurer.
treasurer@rrs.org
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP DUES
RRS policy is that all annual dues are to be paid on January 1 of each calendar year. New members joining the society throughout the year can pay a pro-rated dues for their first partial calendar year. Membership dues are $40 per year and student membership is $20 per year.
The executive council voted to keep dues at their current levels for the new calendar year, 2021. However, dues will increase to $50 per year starting in 2022 (January 1). All payments are made to the society to the RRS treasurer or the RRS president.
president@rrs.org
NEXT MTA EVENT
The next launch event at the Mojave Test Area will be held on December 12th. The nitrous oxide hybrid will be launched with the upgraded igniter and new airframe. Other rocket launches are planned.
IN CLOSING
The next monthly meeting will be held on December 11 by teleconference. Anyone with questions or suggestions should contact the RRS secretary.
The RRS held it’s monthly meeting by teleconference on October 9th at our usual starting time of 7:30pm. We had a few members calling in from out-of-state. We had a few new topics to cover.
Some of the attendees to the October 2020 monthly meeting
SUMMARY OF RECENT MTA EVENT
We held a work event at the Mojave Test Area on October 3rd which was very successful despite higher temperatures for that autumn Saturday. We cleared a lot of tumbleweeds, mended the barbed wire fence at our front gate, painted the metal window gratings on the front of the Dosa Building and even cleared off the decks of the large vertical test stand. We had a lot of great help and we hope to continue making these site improvements to make our facility more attractive and useful.
The large vertical test stand at the RRS MTA after some clearing.
We agreed to meet at the MTA again on November 7th which will coincide with a static fire test of USC’s Rocket Propulsion Lab latest multi-grain solid motor design. We will also attempt to remove and replace a bent panel on the vertical thrust stand. The nitrous oxide hybrid rocket by Dave Nordling, Larry Hoffing and Osvaldo Tarditti is also ready for launching. If there are other member projects that are ready we will add those to the event and notify the pyro-op in charge.
LIQUID ROCKET PROJECTS
Liquid rocket projects have become more popular recently and some have started within the RRS.
Loyola-Marymount University (LMU) in Marina del Rey started a capstone project for their upper classmen in their undergraduate aerospace engineering program to design and build a large liquid rocket. The LMU Lion project was inspired by the FAR-MARS competition. Dave Nordling has been supporting the early design work on behalf of the RRS starting early this calendar year prior to the pandemic restrictions ending in-person meetings. LMU has restarted the project with the new academic year with a series of specialized coursework and short presentations on topics from experts around the industry. Dave was glad to present the history and capabilities of the RRS. The presentation was well received and LMU has looked at using our vertical test stand when they get their first liquid rockets systems ready for test.
Loyola Marymount Aerospace Research Society
The Compton Comet project at Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum has been restarted with RRS members, Waldo Stakes, Kent Schwitkis and Dave Nordling. The Compton Comet is a liquid rocket to be built, tested and flown at the RRS. It is a larger vehicle design which has several parts built and will use a surplus XLR11 single-chamber fueled by LOX and a 75% ethanol-water blend, It is a very ambitious project for the Compton College STEM students but it will provide an excellent means of learning practical skills.
Engine section built from a surplus tailcone and ethanol-LOX engine sits on the workbench
UCLA is continuing Project Ares for this next academic year. Last year’s liquid rocket vehicle design was in its final preparations for a Spring 2020 launch at FAR until the pandemic closed campuses around the country including the UCLA Lab. UCLA invited a few RRS members to attend their preliminary design review by teleconference. They are proceeding with several design improvements from last year’s vehicle design and when their laboratory access is restored under carefully regulated conditions, they hope to have another static fire at the RRS and flight from FAR next spring.
Thr Rocket Project at UCLA
Richard Garcia had started a design for a small liquid fueled rocket that would be easier to build and serve as the basis for a common or standard design for society members wanting to test and fly a liquid rocket at reasonable cost. Propellants are ethanol and liquid oxygen. The design has features proven from past successful liquid motor testing at the RRS MTA. The first prototype of the small 125 lbf motor is in build now. After successful demonstrations of the motor in hot-fire, the vehicle will be built.
Illustration of the RRS standard liquid rocket concept
There is a rocket hangar space opening up at the Compton/Woodley Airport which RRS members will soon have access. It has been a goal to have a work space within the city centrally located for most of our members. Operations at the rocket hangar will be limited to construction activities and small-scale pressure tests and cold flow operations, but it will offer our members a greater convenience for those with limited working space in their homes. Contact Wilbur Owens and Xavier Marshall for details. Social distancing and mask protocols would apply.
MTA FIREFIGHTING MEASURES
Fires are one of the greatest risks that come with amateur rocketry. At the behest of several members we have been discussing way of better preparing to fight fires from our site. The roughly one dozen pressurized water containers we have in our storage container are filled and made ready at every event. These have been useful for containing any fires starting at the pads. The RRS is looking at storing large quantities of water at the MTA. We’re also looking at trailer mounted water tanks that could be pulled by a small all-terrain vehicle (ATV) with a motorized pump spray system. These are commonly found in agricultural locations and would be an excellent addition to help limit the propagation of downrange fires until county resources can arrive.
An example of a 200-300 gallon water tank with a motorized pump system
MTA FACILITY UPGRADES
New restroom facility designs have been discussed over this summer. Concepts have been discussed with contractors and firm cost proposals are being prepared. Issues like cost and permits are important concerns. The society last year approved this facility upgrade project as the top priority.
One of several concepts for a new restroom facility at the RRS MTA under discussion
ANNUAL ELECTIONS FOR EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
Next meeting teleconference will be held on November 13th. After appointing an election chairman, we will be holding nominations for executive council positions at the meeting. Administrative members of society are encouraged to participate as we select our next year’s leadership. Active membership is also required so be certain to pay your dues if you haven’t all year.
If there are any questions or comments, please contact me RRS secretary. You can also follow the RRS on Facebook and on Instagram.
