Multiple solid rocket launches in July; more

Two members of the MIT Rocket Team obtained their level 1 certification for high power rockets on July 19th. This brings the total number of certified team members to over a half dozen. Certification for high power rockets allows the team to test its video payload on small high-power rockets.

Less than a week later, on July 24th, members of the team went out for a fresh attempt at testing the video payload. A two-camera system had been developed over the course of the summer, with tests of signal transmission occurring in lab. On the 24th, a group of students mounted the payload on a small test-bed rocket, and successfully obtained video from both on-board cameras. The two videos have been combined, to give a feel for what the results will be from the final, 4-camera video payload.

Finally, more progress was made on the development of an ignitor for the full-scale liquid rocket engine. Ignition is now repeatable and easily restartable.

Photos and movies of the launches are available online.

Earlier stories and press releases:

• March 2003 news update
• August-November 2002 news update
• A brief mention of the rocket team in the Sept. 2002 Technology Review
• May, 2002 news update
• February, 2002 news update
• Fall, 2001 news update
• August, 2001 press release
• May/June, 2001 press release
• MIT openDoor: The Cosmos story about rocket team founder Carl Dietrich
• The April 2001 issue of CounterPoint had an article on the rocket team.
• November 6, 2000 press release
• October 27, 2000 press release
• May & June 2000 news updates
• MIT TechTalk article on the Rocket Team (April 12th, 2000)
• Spring 2000 press release

Contact Information:

Carl Dietrich
Phone: 617-452-2084
Email: chipd@mit.edu