Category: Launch Announcements

We hope to see everyone there!

We are monitoring the weather very closely.  There is the potential for a significant amount of rain (maybe 1 to 2 inches) along the SoCal coast with heaver rain moving north.

It is hard to predict how much of this rain will get past the San Bernardino Mountains. Often there is substantial precipitation in LA-Orange County, and almost none at Lucerne Valley.

Much of the rain is predicted late this weekend, Sunday night into Monday. If there is enough carry-over to affect the lake bed we will be able to notify everyone by mid-week.

There is a potential for continuing rain/snow throughout next week, and including the weekend of the launch. This means that launch conditions may not be certain, right up to Saturday morning.

This is all preliminary! It is very difficult to predict the weather in any detail more than 4 or 5 days in advance this time of year. The “Pineapple Express” may turn north or south, or we may get some much needed rain and snow. Watch this space for updates!

We have received our FAA waiver for 2016.

We will be able to launch high power rockets at the February launch, on Saturday, 2/13!

The weather is shaping up to be great, with the high temperature about 74°F. Fairly calm in the morning and picking up as the day goes on.

Hope to see everyone on the lakebed! As usual, set up will start between 7AM and 8AM, with launching to begin when we are set up…

Update: upon reviewing the new waiver we have good news and bad news.

Our standard waiver will now be 14, 500 feet above ground level, with no need to call the FAA. Our previous standard waiver was 7,000′.

The bad news is that there will be no call in waivers for our regular launches.So 14,500′ AGL will be our maximum altitude, down from 19,000′.

The temporary good news, is that ONLY for LDRS we will be able to get call in waivers to 19,000′ AGL. SO, if you simply must go that extra mile, plan to do it at LDRS in June.

The ROC Board of Directors has made some changes to our range duties policy.

The most important change is that we will be insuring we have one Range Safety Officer overseeing the launch and responsible for making the launch as safe as we can.

Instead of “Roving RSO” the folks in brightly colored vests will be “Flight Safety Reviewers” (FSR). They will still be inspecting rockets and signing flight cards.
The difference that the RSO will be in charge of safety for the entire launch.

We have also provided clear guidance for each position. Please review the Range Duty Positions an Procedures and launch information pages on this web site.

Why the changes?

In November of 2015 Tripoli Rocketry Association published an update to the Range Safety Guidelines, which is available on the TRA web site.
The ROC board was already conducting a review of our practices and procedures, and looking for way to improve safety at our launches.

Later that same month there was a fatality at another launch in Southern California, held the same weekend as ROCstock.

With the information from the new TRA guideline, a study of lessons learned the hard way by others, and review of our performance, the board has made some changes in our range practices and policies.

The policy document is posted on the board page, and the affected pages of the web site have been updated.

The weather for Saturday’s launch is looking great.

However, we do not have our 2016 waiver in hand yet.

Rather than cancel, on what is shaping up to be a great weather day, the ROC board has decided to go ahead with the launch. If the waiver does not arrive, we will launch low power rockets. SO, we may be limited to no larger than “G” motors.

If the waiver comes through, we will update.

Either way, we will be launching something on Saturday, February 13.