Millbrook Rocketry Aims High
Millbrook rocketeers have once again proven that they have the right stuff by qualifying as alternate finalists in the American Rocketry Challenge. Led by captain Rio Quinn, the team of Kelly Naula, Nashle Urgiles, Jonnathan Flores, and Zachary Herman were selected from among 724 teams all striving to slip the surly bonds of earth with guidance from Dr. Jeff LaCosse.
The 2022 contest was typically stringent. From the official rules:
“Build a model rocket that carries two raw large hen eggs (mounted sideways) to an altitude of 835 feet, stays airborne for between 41 and 44 seconds, and returns the rocket to the ground safely.
The rocket must have a gross liftoff weight of no more than 650 grams, a minimum length of at least 650 millimeters, be made up of body tubes of two different diameters and be powered by commercial rocket motor(s) of class “F” or smaller with no more than 80 N-sec of total impulse across all motors.”
Qualifying flights were made in the rain last Sunday in the field across Leavitt Road with several of Millbrook’s five teams notching excellent scores. Rio’s team spent about twenty hours building several rockets, including backups, after a catastrophic crash and registered the best 2-best flight score, assuring their status as alternate finalists.
“There were also some excellent individual scores during qualifying,” said Doc LaCosse, “Zach Keschner’s team scored a 10.92 which is outstanding. The 2nd best flight of the day was by Charlie Kaye’s team with a score of 14.92.” Millbrook rocketry nearly always shows strongly and previous national finals appearances in 2017, 2019, and 2021, with a 29th-place finish. Research, precision, and teamwork combined for another solid showing for Millbrook rocketeers in 2022.
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