[BA-Rockets] ** November Launch is Canceled ** and some better news as well

[Martin Krikorian]

As billed, both good news and bad.  The bad news is that construction 
has caught up with us again at DeAnza – the college officials are 
concerned about us launching in the newly configured lots.  We need to 
meet with the head of district security to make our case, and it cannot 
be accomplished until after the November launch date.  This means that 
the November launch is canceled, and we have to negotiate permission for 
future launches.

We would like to keep the option open to launch at DeAnza in the future, 
even if we have to hold off launching for some time while construction 
is going on.  Norm has set up the meeting, and Lou Dick has agreed to 
attend, to help us out with explaining our history of safe operations on 
campus.

Now for the somewhat good news.  We have worked long and hard at beating 
the bushes for a launch site, and one of the best prospects is NASA 
Ames.  I say best because a) it’s big and has no trees, b) it has 
security, c) there are people there that have an interest in rocketry, 
in public service, and in science education for kids.  The drawback is 
that it is a very large organization, and we have to get noticed by the 
right people in order to get the list of people who must approve our 
presence reduced to something that can be accomplished in months rather 
than years.

The good news is that we have an opportunity to show off what we are 
about for the people at NASA.  There is an educational event being 
carried out at NASA Ames on December 8, 9 and 10 (9am to 2pm).  Between  
4000 and 5000 fifth through eighth grade students will visit the 
facility, and about an hour of their time will be spent in a large tent 
or hanger containing displays by a variety of organizations.  We were 
invited to come on this by the folks from the Wings of History Museum in 
Morgan Hill, who have participated in the past.

Now this is a weekday event, and it doesn’t guarantee us anything, but 
it is an opportunity for us to be seen at NASA and make connections with 
some of the people who we need on our side when it comes to getting 
regular access to the Ames facility.  I have invited LUNAR to 
participate in this as well.  Charles Winter, who is the coordinator of 
high power for LUNAR has been our primary contact for NASA, and has been 
working to get launches authorized for the Team America rocket 
competition.

What can we do while we are there?:  Have rockets to show off, signs and 
banners, things to give away, demonstrations of rockets simulation via 
RocSim on a computer.  We can do pretty much what we want, short of 
actually holding a launch.  We need volunteers from the membership who 
can spend a morning or two at NASA.  Members of the Wings of History 
group can help us, and LUNAR may be able to as well.

What can you do right now?:  Write to the board via board at baynar.org and 
volunteer your time, models, and ideas.  We came into this late, so we 
need to act fast to get organized.  If we jump into this with both feet, 
we might just make a big enough impression to get things moving for us 
at NASA in a big way.

Marty K

408-730-8423
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