AIMS Rocket Launch

July 21, 2004

Huntsville, Alabama

This was a major day for AIMS student, Unique Bolden, as she was launching her first model rocket. Bill Cooke (an "expert" at model rockets who had helped Unique through the creation of the rocket) was there with a few of his own rockets and spare supplies. We launched several rockets during the early afternoon and had only one go missing. The "Excalibur" rocket, belonging to Dr. Cooke, launched into the air and landed in a rather large field of cotton, or as one person put it, "into the Green Sea". Karen Quammen and Jennifer Combs went searching for it for nearly a half hour before the others finished launching rockets. At that point, Bill Cooke and Mitzi Adams joined the search. Eventually, it was decided that to be found the rocket would have to wait until fall harvest.

Here are some photos from the launch along with the "casualty".

Unique with her launched rocket.
Bill Cooke launching his rocket.
Bill Cooke, Unique Bolden, and Jennifer Combs posing for the picture...Jennifer doesn't look too happy, does she?

Bill setting up a rocket and Unique watching carefully.
Unique chasing after her little brother.
Unique setting up her rocket and checking with Bill to make sure it is set up right.

Bill and Unique resupplying their rockets so they can launch again.
Jennifer, Bill, Unique, and all of Unique's family as Bill and Unique resupply their rockets from the back of Rebecca Knobel's truck.
Mizi, Jennifer, Unique and Karen.

Bill setting up the "Excalibur" rocket for launch.
Bill loading the Excalibur for launch.
Bill and Unique reloading the rockets.

Bill going after his landed rocket.
Bill launching Big Betty.
Unique launching a rocket.

Bill with his rocket, prepping it for launch.
Mitzi with Unique discussing Unique's Rocket.
Bill setting up one of his rockets for launch.

Bill knealing with Mitzi back a bit. Mitzi looks a little tired, huh?
The "Excalibur" flying off in the wind.
Jennifer looking through the cotton field for the rocket.

Karen standing at the edge of the cotton field telling Jennifer about how far out the rocket might be.
Mitzi out in the cotton field looking for the rocket.
Mitzi waving to the camera from the shoulder-deep cotton field.

All in all, we had a lot of fun at the launch. A couple of us didn't get to see much of the actual launch, but what we did get to see, was great.

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Last revised 2004 July 27 - J. Combs

Unique with her launched rocket.	Bill Cooke launching his rocket.	Bill Cooke, Unique Bolden, and Jennifer Combs posing for the picture...Jennifer doesn't look too happy, does she?
Bill setting up a rocket and Unique watching carefully.	Unique chasing after her little brother.	Unique setting up her rocket and checking with Bill to make sure it is set up right.
Bill and Unique resupplying their rockets so they can launch again.	Jennifer, Bill, Unique, and all of Unique's family as Bill and Unique resupply their rockets from the back of Rebecca Knobel's truck.	Mizi, Jennifer, Unique and Karen.
Bill setting up the "Excalibur" rocket for launch.	Bill loading the Excalibur for launch.	Bill and Unique reloading the rockets.
Bill going after his landed rocket.	Bill launching Big Betty.	Unique launching a rocket.
Bill with his rocket, prepping it for launch.	Mitzi with Unique discussing Unique's Rocket.	Bill setting up one of his rockets for launch.
Bill knealing with Mitzi back a bit. Mitzi looks a little tired, huh?	The "Excalibur" flying off in the wind.	Jennifer looking through the cotton field for the rocket.
Karen standing at the edge of the cotton field telling Jennifer about how far out the rocket might be.	Mitzi out in the cotton field looking for the rocket.	Mitzi waving to the camera from the shoulder-deep cotton field.