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Welcome to the NASA high-power rocketry video series.
High-power rocketry is an exciting hobby
that combines multiple disciplines
within the fields of science, technology, engineering,
and math.
This series of videos provides an introduction
to different aspects of high-powered rocketry,
in hopes that you will incorporate it
into your classroom.
We'll discuss several different topics, including
rocket structure, electronics, avionics,
rocket propulsion, payloads, recovery,
and, most importantly, safety.
These videos are a supplement a series
of handbooks which are available to download from the same web
page as these videos.
The videos and handbooks are listed by topic,
and we encourage you to download both for each topic.
These videos are meant to be informational and educational,
and are not intended to be instructional.
You won't learn how to build a rocket from start to finish,
but you will gain an overview so that with the help
of an experienced and certified mentor
you will have an understanding of the basic principles
involved.
Please note that these videos are not
intended to replace the guidance of an experienced high-power
rocketeer.
They are meant to supplement the guidance
that your certified racketeer will give you.
Safety is of the utmost importance
when building and flying high-power rockets,
so it's absolutely vital to start the hobby
under the watchful eye of a flyer with ample experience.
We will discuss some laws and regulations
surrounding the hobby of high-power rocketry.
But the information provided in these videos
does not supersede any requirements or laws imposed
by the authorities that have jurisdiction in the area where
you'll fly your rocket.
It's up to you to ensure that you meet all local, state,
and federal regulations concerning high-power rocketry
before you participate in any launch activities.
High-power rocketry can be incorporated into the classroom
in different ways.
The handbooks available for download with these videos
cover more in-depth theory of many of the concepts involved,
and we'll go over some of those ideas
as we move through the video series.
At the hobby level, high-power rocketry
is governed through either of two high power rocketry
organizations in the United States--
the National Association of Rocketry, NAR, or the Tripoli
Rocketry Association.
Both organizations act as entities
they regulate the activity of their members
through a high-power rocketry safety code.
It is vital to read, learn, and abide by these safety codes,
as they ensure that your launches occur
with the least amount of risk to you, others, and the launch
property.
These organizations also provide third party liability
insurance, as long as it is a NAR or Tripoli sanctioned
launch, and all rules and regulations are followed.
The organizations are divided into local prefects or clubs
located across the country, and they hold regularly
scheduled meetings for its members.
The meetings are informational, educational, instructional,
and offer a time and place for members
to gather, share projects, and enjoy time
with fellow rocketeers.
Local clubs are an ideal place to find a mentor.
It's advantageous for individuals and for teams
to get networked with a local rocketry club.
They've done the hard work of securing
the FAA waiver and a place to host regularly
scheduled, high-powered rocketry launches.
Additionally, many of the members in these clubs
work in the aerospace industry, and can really
help shorten the learning curve.
In order to fly high-power rockets at a sanctioned club
launch, you must become a member of the organization
through which the club is sanctioned.
Some clubs are NAR, some are Tripoli, but most are both,
and most high-power flyers are members of both.
Now that you know about NAR and Tripoli,
let's talk about becoming eligible to fly
a high-power rocket.
To become eligible, you must become
high-power rocketry certified for either NAR or Tripoli.
There are three levels of certification.
Level 1, with the ability to buy rockets
with an installed total impulse of up to 640 Newton-seconds.
Level 2, with the ability to fly rockets
with an installed total impulse of up to 5,120 Newton-seconds.
And level 3, with the ability to fly rockets
with an installed total impulse of up to 40,960 Newton-seconds.
You must be certified at the level
appropriate for your intended motor
before you are allowed to purchase the motor.
For example, if you want to fly a rocket that
uses a motor with 5,000 Newton-seconds total impulse,
you must be level 2 certified to purchase that motor.
You must successfully certify at one level
before you can obtain the next level.
The most important aspect of entering
the hobby of high-power rocketry is
finding an experienced and dedicated mentor
within a local club who's willing to show you
how to safely build and fly your first high-power rocket.
High-power rockets are fun and exciting,
but they are much more hazardous than smaller model rockets.
When building high-power rockets, you use power tools,
handle potentially hazardous chemicals,
measure and pour black powder ejection charges,
use electric matches, solder and wire electronics,
build rocket motors, and fly several pounds of hardware
thousands of feet in the sky.
Done properly, these operations are safe and enjoyable.
Done incorrectly, they can result in severe injury,
and even death.
Therefore, it's absolutely vital to find
an experienced, certified mentor.
We'll talk about safety throughout this video series,
but remember these videos are meant only
to enhance your understanding of the process of rocketry.
They are not meant to replace the role of a dedicated mentor.
Videos, books, and articles are informative and helpful,
but nothing is as valuable as the hands-on guidance
from an experienced, knowledgeable mentor.
I think it's very important to find a mentor,
because a mentor will be doing-- or will
have done-- exactly what the teams are trying to do now.
So this person will know the techniques
to use-- how to build a rocket, how to safely launch and fly
the rocket.
Finding an experienced mentor when I was first starting out
in high-powered rocketry is-- it was very important for me.
Because they understood what works,
what doesn't work in this hobby.
Where it cuts down my learning curve,
and they can instill a sense of confidence in me
that will, ultimately, end up in long-term success.
Especially when you're trying to figure out materials,
working with energetics-- which from a safety standpoint,
it's very important to have that mentor to make sure
that you're safe, and you keep everyone around you safe.
At the end of many of the videos in this series,
we will include examples of educational activities related
to the topics in that video.
These activities aim to help teachers utilize the rocket
concepts discussed in the videos to engage students
in lessons they may already be teaching in their classrooms,
and connect common classroom activities with real world
rocketry applications.
For more information about NAR, Tripoli, or your local rocketry
clubs and certifications, log on to either the NAR or Tripolo
websites.
Good luck in your high-power rocketry endeavors,
and thank you for watching the NASA high-power rocketry video
series.