Tag Archives: symposium

RRS REGEN ENGINE PRIZE

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by Dave Nordling, President, Reaction Research Society

RELEASE DATE: December 31, 2023

The Reaction Research Society (RRS) is pleased to announce an annual competition for university project teams to compete for an annual prize for the longest steady-state impulse duration of a regeneratively cooled bi-propellant liquid propellant rocket engine in static fire at the RRS MTA.  

All rules are explained below.  Rules are subject to change solely by the RRS and updates shall be provided on our website, RRS.ORG, whenever they arise.  The newest release date shall replace and void all prior copies.  In event of conflict, federal, state and local laws, the RRS Constitution and by-laws shall take precedence.

  1. Engines shall be designed and operated with liquid propellants.  Only bi-propellant engines are permitted.  Engines shall be safely tested in static fire conditions at the RRS MTA.  Only testing conducted at the RRS MTA after the start of the annual competition period will be considered for the prize.
  2. This will be an annual competition that will begin July 1, 2024.  Each annual competition period will begin on July 1st and close on June 30th of the following calendar year.  The RRS shall determine how long the competition will continue and may terminate this competition at any time.  A prize winner, if any, shall be announced no earlier than July 31st after that competition year closes.  Announcements shall be made on the RRS.ORG website.
  3. The RRS executive council shall appoint a three-person committee with the task of judging this competition and determining which team, if any, will be awarded the prize in accordance with the rules herein.  Committee members shall be technically proficient in liquid rocket engines and be neutral observers.  Committee members shall not have any influence over or be any part of any university team.  University teams are encouraged to ask questions of the committee at any time.  The committee’s decisions are final and not subject to repeal by the RRS.  All data and information regarding the engine testing must be recorded and submitted to the RRS for judging.
  4. Any missing information, deception or lack of clarity in the submitted information provided to the judging committee may result in disqualification of the testing attempt or barring the team from future competitions.
  5. Engines shall be designed and constructed by the student team and not be derived from pre-existing commercial or surplus hardware.  Teams shall provide a full description of all material suppliers and machining service providers used to the RRS judging committee.
  6. All teams shall provide a distinctive name for their team and must provide an accurate listing of all participating members and a single point of contact to serve as the advisor for the project.  The advisor must be a current university faculty member.  All teams must submit their membership list and full point of contact information for their advisor to the RRS.  
  7. Only university-funded projects consisting solely of students shall be allowed to participate. Sponsor-donated funds are acceptable, but for a team to be eligible for this competition they must represent a specific university.  All teams must provide a full description of their budget and all sources of funding to the RRS judging committee. All teams must provide sufficient financial information for the transfer of prize money or for the payment of fees or damages to the RRS.  
  8. Competition is open only to teams comprised entirely of US Persons and all teams must remain in full compliance with US ITAR laws.  US Persons are defined by being a natural person who is a lawful permanent resident as defined in 8 U.S.C 1101(a)(20) or who is a protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).  All teams shall provide a full listing of all participants and the universities shall issue statements to the RRS certifying compliance.  Failure to comply with ITAR laws shall result in disqualification from this competition.  This competition shall also be compliant to all US federal, state of California and local jurisdictional laws.  Additional requirements for eligibility may also apply.
  9. All participants in this competition shall list the RRS and its assignees as listed insured by their university insurance policy.  Consult the RRS executive council on these matters.
  10. All engines in this competition shall use a regenerative cooling scheme. The regenerative cooling flow path of the engine must cover the entire chamber length from injector face to throat line and to the nozzle exit plane.  There is no specific requirement on the direction of the regenerative cooling path in engine designs, but the coolant path geometry and design must be fully described in the submittals to the RRS judging committee.  All engine designs must have a diverging nozzle with a minimum expansion ratio of 4.0.  Local elevation of the RRS MTA is 2,300 feet above sea level.
  11. Ablative liners, graphite inserts or throats or the use of ceramic coatings are not permitted in engine designs in this competition.  
  12. All regenerative cooling paths must be demonstrated not to leak both before and after the valid test attempt.  This shall be confirmed by the RRS pyro-op in charge and the RRS judging committee.
  13. Transpiration cooling schemes from the chamber walls, throat, or nozzle are not permitted in engine designs in this competition.  Only transpiration cooling of the injector face is permitted.
  14. Dump cooling schemes are not permitted in engine designs in this competition.
  15. Boundary layer coolant holes from the injector face are acceptable but must not exceed 5% of the total injector mass flow as determined by analysis submitted and approved by the RRS judging committee.
  16. All participants will conduct their qualifying hot fires exclusively at the Reaction Research Society’s Mojave Test Area (MTA).  All scheduling shall be by the RRS president.  Testing conducted outside of the RRS MTA or conducted before the start of the annual competition period shall not be considered.
  17. All participants shall be subject to society rules on safety and operations and federal, state and local regulations.  A licensed CALFIRE Rockets Class 1 pyrotechnic operator is required to be present for each test attempt. The RRS president shall appoint the licensed pyrotechnic operator in charge for any operation at the MTA including each valid test attempt.
  18. Prize for the winning team will be $1.20 USD for every 1.0 lbf-seconds of verified steady state impulse operation meeting all requirements as determined by the RRS judging committee.  Longest steady-state duration shall be verified through submitted test data and information submitted by a competition team.  Team demonstrating the longest steady-state duration of a valid engine design shall be the winner in each annual period of competition only if it exceeds the prior record by the minimum impulse amount.   Prize will be awarded based on fully demonstrated and confirmed compliance with each of the following: (A) Minimum impulse to qualify for the prize at the start of the competition shall be 3,000 lbf-seconds in the steady-state condition.  (B) Prize money is based on the adjusted impulse value generated in test subtracting away this minimum qualifying impulse value. Example: a 1000 lbf engine fired for a steady-state duration of 25 seconds that meets all requirements has a total impulse of 25,000 lbf-sec, but will have an adjusted impulse of only 22,000 lbf-sec when subtracting the minimum impulse value.  The prize awarded, if this is the winning team, would be $26,400 USD in that annual competition period. Bonuses are considered separately. (C) Minimum chamber pressure throughout the entire steady-state period shall be 300 psig.  Chamber pressure values shall be rounded down to the nearest whole number value. (D) Minimum thrust throughout the entire steady state period shall be 300 lbf.  Thrust values shall be rounded down to the nearest whole number value. (E) Steady state conditions are defined as reaching and holding the declared nominal chamber pressure (psig) within +/~10% for the steady-state period. (F) Minimum steady-state period shall be for a minimum of 5.0 seconds.  Hot-fire durations shall be rounded down to the nearest tenth of a second. (G) Each annual competition winner must exceed the prior record by a minimum steady-state impulse of 300 lbf-seconds.  Otherwise, the prior record stands and no winner is awarded in that annual period of competition. (H)  If no team is successful in surpassing the initial minimum impulse (in part a) or surpasses previous record from the past annual competition periods by the minimum amount (in part g), no award will be given.  (I) No more than one team will be awarded the prize in any annual competition period. (J) Maximum prize is capped at $50,000 USD.  Any bonuses may be awarded on top of the prize money if the RRS judging committee can confirm full compliance to the requirements for the bonuses.  Bonuses are awarded only to the annual competition winner if there is one.
  19. A $1,500 fixed bonus shall be awarded only to the annual competition winner if their engine design entirely avoids the use of 3-D printing or any additively manufactured parts as confirmed by the RRS judging committee.  This bonus is to reward those teams demonstrating more desirable skills in traditional manufacturing.
  20. Each winning team shall be required to fully describe their engine design with their hot-fire results in a 20-minute presentation to be given at the next annual RRS symposium.  The purpose of this competition is to aid the development of the technology by sharing best practices.
  21. All qualifying test attempts for the annual competition prize shall measure thrust, chamber pressure and all propellant flow rates by data files submitted to and by techniques validated by the judging committee.  All valid attempts to claim the prize will include the minimum amount of functioning instrumentation during the entire hot-fire period being evaluated.  All teams shall declare their targeted performance parameters in advance of their testing attempt for valid comparison and qualification for the prize.  Failure to meet any of these requirements shall invalidate the testing attempt.
  22. Instrumentation shall include a direct measurement of chamber pressure, engine thrust, and the propellant mass flow rates of all fuels and oxidizers. Measurements of fuel and oxidizer supply manifold pressures may be included but neither shall be a valid substitute for direct chamber pressure measurement. Microsoft Excel CSV files are the only allowed file format.  
  23. Minimum data sampling resolution for all instrumentation shall be 0.1 seconds (10 Hz) with the exception of temperature measurements which shall be (0.25 Hz) if temperature measurements are used.
  24. Minimum accuracy of all pressure, thrust and mass flow rate measurements shall be no more than 5% of declared nominal values as stated by the team prior to the test attempt.  Error analysis and instrumentation accuracy information shall be supplied to and confirmed by the RRS judging committee with the test data.
  25. All participants including visitors and spectators shall have signed and submitted the indemnification waivers in advance of their arrival to the MTA on any day of operation. All participants including visitors and spectators shall fully comply with the instructions of the pyrotechnic operator in charge.  The pyrotechnic operator in charge or the RRS reserves the right to limit the number of people in attendance at any particular MTA event.
  26. RRS shall approve all test plans, hardware, engine designs and operations well in advance of testing before allowing the test to be scheduled.  A minimum of 4 weeks advance notice with all final materials submitted is recommended.  Review of all testing equipment, test plans, procedures, safety features and equipment must be conducted by a Class 1 licensed pyro-op or an expert appointed by the RRS president.
  27. The pyrotechnic operator in charge has full authority to stop any operation or disqualify any team for any reason.  All participants, attendees, visitors and spectators shall fully and immediately comply with all RRS appointed pyrotechnic operator instructions at all times.
  28. All resources used in this competition shall be coordinated and approved by the RRS president.  The RRS is not obligated to provide any financial or material support to any team in this competition.
  29. All hot-fire attempts for this competition shall be subject to a minimum daily fee of $500 USD paid to the RRS within 30 calendar days of the test attempt. Universities may have multiple teams in the competition but each team shall be required to pay their own $500 USD minimum daily fee for that specific team.  The RRS standard fee policy shall apply to any operations outside of this competition.  Failure to pay fees can result in disqualification or exclusion from future competition of the university. Fees are not refundable, but attempts may be rescheduled with sufficient advance notice.
  30. All teams shall be responsible for providing adequate and suitable fire suppression measures and the protection of RRS assets.  
  31. All teams shall be responsible for the repair of damage to RRS assets sustained in events related to testing or paying for the costs of repairs as determined by the RRS.
  32. All teams shall make safety their highest priority.  All teams shall be responsible for designing safe and reliable pressure relief and venting systems, propellant filling and draining operations, prevention of cryogenic hazards including exposure, fire and trapped fluid volumes, and incorporate adequate spill and contamination prevention and mitigation measures.  All systems including but not limited to instrumentation, remote actuation, ignition, propellant and pressurization management shall be fully described for a full review by the RRS and the pyrotechnic operator in charge prior well in advance of any testing day.  Changes to the designs after review are not permitted without subsequent review and approval by the RRS and pyrotechnic operator in charge. Teams are strongly encouraged to consult with the RRS in all phases of their design and development processes including the early conceptual periods.
  33. All teams shall abide by the stored energy limitations (10,000 Joules) for all attended operations at the RRS MTA.  Otherwise, only remotely controlled operations are permitted.  All teams shall fully and immediately comply with the instructions given by the pyrotechnic operator in charge as appointed by the RRS president.
  34. All teams shall abide by the flaring stack rules on the venting of volatile fuels as imposed by the RRS.
  35. The wearing and proper use of suitable personnel protective equipment in all operations at the RRS MTA is mandatory and shall be the sole responsibility of every individual.
  36. All teams participating in this competition are required to specifically mention the “Reaction Research Society” in their related public announcements or social media postings.  Contact the RRS secretary and vice-president for details.

For any questions regarding this competition or its rules, contact the RRS president or the RRS director of research.  Questions shall be relayed from the executive council to the judging committee for their consideration.  Please use the official RRS emails as individual officers are elected to annual terms and offices may change ownership in each calendar year.

president@rrs.org

research@rrs.org

Other important points of contact include:

secretary@rrs.org

treasurer@rrs.org

facilities@rrs.org

vicepresident@rrs.org

Updates and new releases on this competition will be announced by postings on the Reaction Research Society website,

RRS.ORG

For US Mail correspondence, write to:

Reaction Research Society

8821 Aviation Blvd.

P.O. Box 90933

Los Angeles, CA, 90009-0933

December 2023 meeting

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by Joel Cool-Panama, Secretary, RRS.ORG

The Reaction Research Society held its monthly meeting at the Compton/Woodley Airport location, 7:30 PM PST.

The presentation can be found here.

Executive Summary

  • Larry Hoffing won the election for Treasurer.
  • Amendment to be sent out on December 15th, with 45 voting days
  • Dimitri Timohovich appointed Facilities Manager, member of Executive Council
  • Hydraulic gimbal system located for 60’ rail project, $3,300 for all components
  • Surplus generator is 220v, 3-phase, 60kw, cost $5,500
  • Bill Claybaugh launch rail donation nearly officiated
  • Historical Documents cataloged, scanning started
  • Need volunteers for 2024 Symposium
    • Frank wants multiple RRS table
    • Joel wants to create a promotional video
    • Keith has rocketry footage
  • UCLA and USC pushed back their static fires, LMU scheduled for February/March, Princeton aiming for 2025 activities
  • Dosa Building insulation should be contracted out to a spray insulation company
  • LACMA GALCIT project agreement reached
    • $60k estimate, $9k MTA usage fees
  • $100k funding received for firetruck, electrical grid, and other unspecified projects
  • Zach Lesan to begin work on LNG horizontal cylinder restoration
  • Dave Nordling retiring as President

Agenda

  • Election Results
  • Constitutional Amendments
  • Facilities Manager
  • 60’ Launch Rail
  • Military Surplus Generator
  • William Claybaugh Launch Rail
  • Historical Documents
  • 2024 Symposium
  • MTA Static Fires, Launches
  • Office and Crew Cabin Furnishings
  • Dosa Building Insulation Project
  • LACMA GALCIT Project
  • Jerry Irvine Obituary

The December 2023 monthly meeting started with the announcement of the Executive Council elections. Three of the elected offices on the Executive Council went unopposed.The Treasurer, however, had three contestants running.

OfficeOccupant
PresidentFrank Miuccio
Vice-PresidentKeith Yoerg
SecretaryJoel Cool-Panama
TreasurerLarry Hoffing

For those curious, the official breakdown of the votes for Treasurer were as follows:

ContestantVotes
Larry Hoffing20
Xavier Marshall14
Michael Rouleau3

This election was notable in that 37 members cast a vote, an unusually large amount. Out of 47 administrative members, only 10 failed to cast a vote, or chose to. The Society is pleased to see such high levels of participation, and we hope this trend continues in the future.

During the discussion of the election results, Dave called for everyone to serve the Society by running for office on the Executive Council. It was also stated that Rushd Julfiker will remain as Director of Research.

The meeting then moved on to discussion of constitutional amendments currently being drafted by the Executive Council. Among proposed changes were some changes to membership, the addition of petition by the administrative and lifetime membership, requirement of dues payment before elections, definition of Vice-Presidential duties, Conflict of Interests, and restrictions on duplicity in the Executive Council. The Council currently plans to send the amendments out to the voting membership on December 15th, and to give them 45 days to vote on each of the amendments. 

Next on the agenda was the appointment of a Facilities Manager. Dimitri was chosen to fill this role, and will also have a seat on the Executive Council. There was some controversy in the Council on how to create this office, some not wanting the Council to exercise the power to arbitrarily create Executive Council officers, but the Council voted to create the position. A by-law will be published defining the position.

Following this was discussion of the 60’ launch rail project. Dimitri had located some hydraulics, which he thinks would be better than those found and donated by Waldo. It’s a hydraulic gimbal system, which can both raise the tower, and pivot it. The owner is selling the unit, controller, and gas powered pump as a unit, but is also selling a larger diesel powered pump. The cost for all of it would be $3,300. Dimitri commented that the throw of the system is around 10’ to 12’. He also commented that the arm only goes as high as 75 degrees above horizontal, but that it also lowers below 0 degrees from horizontal, and he doesn’t know for sure the full range of movement of the system. Dimitri commented that the pivoting ability would allow us to change which direction the launch rail is pointing, which can prove useful later.

The welder will be present at the MTA on the 9th, and Dimitri also stated that he has a car scale, which he can use to weigh the ham radio tower. National Concrete will likewise be present, and will pour both the launch rail pad, 12’ x 12’ x 1’ rebar reinforced, as well as the smaller pad for the electrical generator. Dimitri estimated that the Society will save about $2k by having the pads poured simultaneously. The rail pad will use 1” coarse thread anchors, and will have 12 of them. Dimitri also requested that the forms be left for the launch rail pad, so that we can avoid the rebar while installing the anchors.

During the discussion of bolt patterns, Richard commented that he has a spreadsheet for bolt analysis. He again commented that he doesn’t believe that shear forces are applicable for bolts. Regardless, Dimitri will be leaving for the MTA tonight. Dave also commented that Rushd will be the project leader starting January 1st.

Regarding the generator, Dimitri gave some specifications on the system’s power output. He pointed out that the generator produces 60kw, which doubles the power of Polaris’ generator, and will easily power the MTA, including A/C units. Having cost $5,500, Dimitri is currently storing the generator at his home, since the seller had to move it from his own property. Being a 3 phase 220v system, it has surprisingly few hours on it, only 36. It was apparently a backup generator, and was only exercised on occasion while it was in service, which Dimitri has been doing himself every couple of weeks. The operation of the generator is apparently somewhat complicated, however. Dimitri will be writing an SOP for it. We also plan to store the generator within a container, so as to prevent its theft or being stripped.

Next we discussed Bill Claybaugh’s donation of his launch rail. Having initiated the process earlier this year in the summer, the Council has finally worked out the details on an MoU and liability waiver, and have signed it and mailed it to him for his own signature. He has apparently signed it just today, and mailed it back to us. The total effect of these agreements with him is that he can take the launcher with him to other sites to make use of, but that he is liable for its repair if damaged while in his care.

Historical documents was the next topic discussed. Joel provided details on what he’s done since the last meeting, having cataloged the books, and having started scanning documents. A question was then raised, as to whether or not we should keep the old paperwork after it’s been digitized. It was suggested that we could store the documents at the MTA, in the new office container.

We then discussed the 2024 Symposium. The day of the Symposium will be Saturday, April 13th, but we’ll be doing setup the night before, Friday the 12th. We’re looking for volunteers for both days, but especially for the day of. Frank commented that, in addition to our usual table, he also wants us to have tables for membership, the MTA, and for the Regenerative Engine Contest. We’ll also have a space for presentations, as per usual. Joel commented that he’d like footage to make a promotional video for the event, and Keith suggested that he could make a slideshow using photos from previous Symposiums. He does also have rocket footage to show at our tables. Frank likewise has footage from the 1993 Symposium. There’s also the old “Whitey” student film. Regarding an audience for our advertisements, it was suggested that we could tap into NAR, Tripoli, and other rocket and model rocket groups. It was suggested by Larry that we ought to think about notice of recording, but that public spaces should be fine. The suggested Symposium MTA discount was brought up, but not much was said about it.

Regarding scheduled MTA rocketry events, both UCLA and USC have unfortunately set off their static fires to indeterminate dates. LMU, however, is looking to perform launch activities during February or March of next year. Princeton, likewise, is looking to get into liquid rocketry, expecting to begin their campaign some time in 2025. Princeton has stated that their aim is to reach the Carmen line, very ambitious. For the time being Dave has them running their Monte Carlo simulations. Their rocket will have to fall within 10 nautical miles of the launch site, so their importance is vital. FAA requirements were also briefly discussed, particularly the call-in requirement for anything going higher than 18k’ or 20k’.

Next we discussed furnishings. The new 20’ office container and 40’ crew cabin need a desk, chair, lamp, filing cabinets, and large-and-tall bunk beds, respectively. Dimitri commented that he had already covered the windows with plywood, to prevent damage and vandalism. Dave also pointed out that the current generator isn’t sufficient to power both A/C units.

After that  we discussed the Dosa Building insulation project. It would seem that the best solution would simply be spray insulation. Frank also brought up his idea for painting the exterior of the building with ceramic paint, which will also lower temperatures by several degrees. Cork insulation was also briefly brought up as an alternative. Regarding the dimensions and insulation systems built for the building, it was recommended that somebody contact Niels, as he should know about the manufacture of the building, for which we could look for suitable insulation systems.

We then shifted the topic to the LACMA GALCIT project. We recapped the project, that it’s a project of American Artist, to recreate a 1936 static fire. We were fortunate enough to strike and sign an agreement with LACMA just this week, and it seems the timeline is to have the project complete by 2024. Unfortunately, the test is likely to occur in the Summer. The estimate for expenses is looking to be $60k, but the Society will benefit from about $9k in site use fees. Dave reiterated that two motors will be built, as one will be used for display at a later date.

Review of the Jerry Irvine obituary followed. Larry wrote his obituary, and it is ready to be published, but Larry is choosing to wait on Korey Kline, who said he wanted to write something himself. During the discussion, our prior President Osvaldo Tarditti mentioned that Jerry was actually the one who brought him to the RRS, in 1978. Osvaldo apparently was into model rockets, but wanted to see “the real stuff,” to which Jerry was happy to oblige him.

Next we discussed project funding. Dave was glad to announce that he had spoken to one of our donors this week, and the donor had written us a $100k check. We now have funding for both the electrical grid project, and for the firetruck. These items combined however are only about $65k in total, leaving $35k for other projects. Some additional projects discussed were an ATF magazine, though we don’t have anyone at this time who can check it weekly as legally required. There was however discussion of building a bottle yard, for Lindi to deliver too. Not having a proper storage place has been a big concern for them, though they have faithfully delivered to the MTA for many years.

We then discussed the ongoing events with Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum. A judge has ruled that Robin Petgrave must stop his operations at the museum. As a result, Society assets that have been held in the museum will need to be moved, to ensure that we don’t lose access to them for any amount of time.

Discussion of the LNG cylinder restoration came next. Zach Lesan has volunteered to restore the horizontal LNG cylinder. He plans to pick it up from the MTA tomorrow, during the work event. Dave went to his home in Manhattan Beach, and believes it will be sufficient for the project. Zach has an impressive resume, so we’re sure he’ll do good work.

As the meeting came to a close, some additional subjects were brought up. Steve Majdal brought us some wire, and Dimitri brought up that he might donate a 40’ container of his, for an MTA workshop. Michael Rouleau priced out a 1010, and Bill Inman stated that he had finished his repairs on the Solar Cat, and would like to launch out of the MTA tomorrow.

USC having maybe taken some of our electrical equipment, probably mixed in with their own, brought Dimitri to suggest that we paint it fluorescent pink, so that it stands out better in the future. Next it was suggested that Richard be brought in on the RRS Regenerative Cooling Contest.

Finally, we’d like to thank Dave Nordling, for his two years as President of the RRS. During his tenure the Society strove for, and achieved, great goals, personally leading many projects to improve and revitalize the MTA, and for that we owe him. Dave has indicated that he needs time away from the Society, having spent so much effort in it in only 24 months, but we hope he’ll enthusiastically return soon.

The next Society meeting will be on January 12th, 2024, at the Compton/Woodley Airport location. Contact the Secretary for details.

May 2023 Meeting

Posted on by

by Joel Cool-Panama, Secretary, RRS.ORG

The Reaction Research Society held its monthly meeting at the Compton/Woodley Airport location, 7:30 PM PST.

Agenda topics of the meeting were:

  • Symposium successes
  • Restroom operational
  • MTA improvements
  • Wolfram launch 5/20
  • UCLA launch 6/10

Past Events

It is with great pleasure that the Society declares the Symposium to have been a success. In all, there were 22 presenters present, and approximately 70 to 80 persons in attendance. Likewise, Mary Star High School has told us that they did well on their food service sales, and have already penciled us in to host the Symposium at their location again on April 8th, 2024.

However, there is much room for improvement. For example, we need to have better signage for the presentation room and food service at the next symposium. We could also take advantage of the large screens present in the gymnasium to keep attendees up to date on presentations. It was also noted that we should have a hard deadline for speakers to sign up, probably a few days in advance of the event, to prevent scheduling confusion. The older members of the Society are also in agreement that we should hire some of the students to help us setup and break down the Symposium. We could also Mary Star’s WiFi password, and maybe make it available upon request.

The Society was also pleased to receive a donation of eletrical match blanks from long-time RRS member, Steve Majdali. Our treasurer, Larry Hoffing, is to write a receipt for them.

Current Events

Prior to the meeting, Society President Dave Nordling had new keys made for the newly opened MTA restrooms. Six pairs of keys were made, the gold one being to open the restroom proper, and the silver to open the container door to the valves and switches.

In regards to the restroom, it was mentioned that the society should probably hire someone to clean the restroom. In the past, society members have graciously handled cleaning and supplies themselves with the porta-potties, but there is a desire to have the restrooms taken care of by someone else. The main problem seems to be the cost of doing so, and how we might extract compensatory fees from anyone who uses the MTA and doesn’t clean up after themselves. A deposit was suggested, but Frank noted that getting such from a school would likely be a hassle.

Thanks to the Society’s generous donors, we are pleased to announce that a 60-foot launch rail for launching liquid rockets, and prefabbed containers for the MTA, have been funded. Polaris has a design for such a launch rail, and the Society is considering hiring them to build it. Also, in light of the struggles around building numerous projects at the MTA, it is expected that the Society will pay contractors to make improvements to the site mifor the forseeable future.

It’s also been recommended that the Society should have portable launch rails at the MTA. Being portable means that they can be moved away when might be necessary, such as if a group’s view of another launch rail is obstructed. Wolfram in particular has requested 1515 launch rails, but others, such as members of ROC, might appreciate these as well, due to the difference between our height waivers.

Steve Majdali mentioned at the meeting that he has 1,000 ft of duplex wire, 18 gauge solid core, which he might donate to the Society for our use. He also apparently has multi-strand, fine gauge wire, and might even have some sulfur to dispose of as well.

In other news, Society Treasurer Larry has received 3 lbs of 400-mesh zinc powder from a supplier in India. The zinc isn’t of the fineness typically used for micrograin rockets, but Larry will test its use regardless. It should be noted that the zinc was bought at $4 per pound, which is a very good deal, and we might consider sourcing from this supplier in the future. US-based suppliers are not as common today as they have been in decades past.

Future Events

UCLA is currently scheduled to hold their Capstone project launch event at the MTA on June 10th. Likewise, Frank and Larry will simultaeneously be holding launch classes at the site. They will be having two launches, B and C motor model rockets, as well as Baby Bertha.

The Aerospace Corporation is also scheduled to use the MTA for their intern rocket launch event. As of now, there is no conflict on the MTA schedule with their event.

The Society is also receiving more requests for Vice-President Frank to teach more classes. Among past locations requesting his services is Nickerson Gardens.

Also, it has been noted that having underground cable runs between the launch rails and the Garboden Observation Bunker at the MTA would be very valuable. A pull string should be installed along with whatever conduit is put in place, and CAT9 wire should definitely be installed as a good starting point. This facility improvement needs further definition.

The next society meeting will be on June 9th, 2023, at the Compton/Woodley Airport location. Contact the secretary for details.