Ross Ohmen's Rocketry Obsession
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Model Rocketry History
The 99K Project
98mm Project - Level 3
54 mm Projects
38 mm Projects
29 mm Projects
24 mm Projects
13 - 18 mm Projects
My Launches - 2008
My Launches - 2007
My Launches - 2006
My Launches - 2005
My Launches - 2003-2004
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Welcome graphic

I started off playing with rockets in junior high school, but sold all my gear for $30 in the middle of 8th grade.

I've spent a heck of a lot more than that since then.

My current status on the hobby is: Tripoli Level 3.

My first trip to the Black Rock Desert in June of 2003 with Aeropac went very well. I flew 17 flights - the biggest being my PML (Public Missiles Limited) Io on a G80 engine. I was hooked.

I went again in September, with hopes of getting my Levels 1&2 certificates. (Level 1 is H & I engines, Level 2 is J, K, and L engines.) I took with me a modified PML Ariel (fiberglassed fins), and big $$ for more engines. I got both Certificates, getting my Level 1 with an Aerotech H128, and the Level 2 with a Cesaroni 5 grain, and a 100% on the written exam. I got over 4200 feet on my altimeter!

Level 1 Flight at XPRS - Black Rock - Sept 2003
cert1_flight.jpg

 
Eventually I built a 4" minimum diameter rocket to fly for my Level 3 attempt.  The first try failed when a shock cord untied, but my second try in August of 2006 was successful! 

Enterprise 98 on M2400 at Black Rock. Level 3!
enterprise_98_at_aeronaut_2006_on_m2400_2nd_shot.jpg

My Small Rockets Collection
080517_my_collection.jpg
L-R: Bottle Rocket, F-Bomb, Fat Boy, TCC, D-Dart, Big Daddy, V2, Cee-Ya, Baka, and others

Here's what I'm currently working on (big breath)
  1. Finish the Pulsar - electronics bay, and paint.
  2. Build the "Flasher" - Next of four in a series of 38mm "Thunderbolt 38".  This one is a f/g body, f/g fin dual-deploy (eventual upper stage).  Still being designed.
  3. Design and build the "Barb" - fourth of the four 38mm "Thunderbolt 38" series - f/g body, Acme fin-can (recovered from crashed previous version). 
  4. Repair the 54mm "Arrow" minimum diameter - Replace the electronics tray, and fly the Black Sky Electronics.  
  5. Replace the Pterodactyl, a 3.9", 54mm rocket.  Starting from scratch, after losing the original at Aeronaut 2006.  Load with movie camera(s).
  6. Fix the Magnum - repaint, shorten body tube, fix electronics.
  7. Design and build Estes-class Titan 4B ELINT.  (Flies on 4 24mm motors, with the two strap-ons ejecting at burnout.)
  8. Design and built 5.5" diam version of Estes Omega, powered by 54mm motors.  My first high-power 2-stage bird!
  9. Repair the Glowworm - Lawn-darted from a great height... 
  10. Repair and complete my small rockets - Roton, Condor, and many others.
  11. And most of all, design and fabricate the 99K rocket...

Upcoming Launch:  MudRock with Aeropac, June 19-21, 2008

Here are my goals for this launch:

  1. Fly Ariel on a 1-grain 54mm J180 - 5000+ ft!!.
  2. Fly Tang on an H112.
  3. Fly Lightnin on an D12-0 to a D12-7.   
  4. Fly repaired H-Bomb on an G77-L
  5. Fly F-Bomb on a F39 engine.
  6. Fly Canadian Arrow on a 29mm G53-7FJ.
  7. Fly the big HoJo on a I225 FJ.
  8. Repair the Glowworm and fly it on an E15-10.
  9. Fly the Wahoo on a J570!  Should go close to 10,000 ft.
  10. Fly the Hornet on a K250.  Sims to 16K!
  11. Fly the Enterprise 98 on a Demo 3-grain M motor!

* - Subject to high-altitude/weather/wind conditions. 

Updated 6/18/08