< Rocket Launch: September 20, 2002 ( 17 KB)

The rocket launched beautifully with a little higher fuel pressure than last the last one.

More Videos:

• Video
• Close-up
• Up, up, and away

The rocket flew straight up to 20,000 ft (according to the Black Sky altimeter) and the drogue chute opened perfectly. The main chute opened about 500 ft agl, but the strap holding the main chute broke so the rocket fell from that point and was seriously damaged. (Next time we will use climbing rope) The avionics, fins, parachutes and most of the valves and hardware are still serviceable so they will fly again. There was no wind and there were some questions about the hydraulic system and how the gyro would react to the parachute shock, so we flew this one with the gimbals locked and pulled out the gyro at the last minute. For a description of the rocket design and construction, see gyro rocket

< The team puts the rocket on the RRS launch rail ( 32 KB)

< All Ready on the Rail ( 32 KB)

< Filling with Liquid Oxygen ( 27 KB)

< Ignition! ( 35 KB)

< Liftoff! ( 24 KB)

< Halfway Up ( 26 KB)

Notice the full flame, due to the higher fuel/LOX pressure.

< Off the Tower ( 9 KB)

The rocket leaves the tower flying straight.

< What goes up... ( 31 KB)

Hey I think that air cylinder is still good...

< Must come down... ( 28 KB)

Unless you use a rocket fuel pump and multiple stages to get into LEO.