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Bdale Garbee.
Bdale Garbee.-
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James Russell
As a lot of you know Bdale had lost his L3 rocket Saturday even when people saw it drop over the horizon, Ray had even got some pictures of it as it looked like it landed. bellow is a google earth link of were Dave Tjarks, John Bixler and myself found his nose cone and what we think the line from the launch pad looks like.
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&ie=UTF8&msid=113899152120321031204.0004588db4d17cae9da7c&z=13
mule
Haw fast was the wind blowing at ground level? Do you think it was drug off? Since I was not there I wouldn’t know. I may try to go up Sat AM and look for it.
Do you have pictures?
I’ll get out the spotting scope and if someone is heading up and I am not, I will let them use it.Bdale Garbee
I’m planning to go up tomorrow morning (Wed the 8th) and search the area between where I’d already searched and where the nose cone was found. Have a good pair of binoculars, a good handheld GPS, etc.
James Russell
the wind was up and down, but the rocket was out there Sat and Sun before we got to the NC. From what I understand the wind was high yesterday so it is hard to say were it is now and how fare it has been blown and dragged.
Bdale Garbee
Ray LaPanse got some good photos of my L3 rocket, YikStik. I’ve put one of the pre-launch ones at http://www.gag.com/~bdale/tmp/YikStik.jpg. The rocket is a full-custom design based on 98mm Giant Leap Dyna-Wind tubing, and is about 9 feet long overall. Pretty straight boost as seen from the ground, should have gotten to about 14,700. The main was set to deploy at 1500 feet.
The red bits were designed to come down under a separate chute and were recovered after I had to leave on Sunday, thanks to James, et al. A *lot* farther out from the launch site than I expected, about 3.5 miles from the launch rail. The black and gold bits are still missing, and should have come down under a custom-sewn 8 foot chute of the Team Vatsaas design with alternating red and black panels. Unfortunately, the two tracking transmitters were both in the payload bay behind the nose cone, so we’re reduced to looking for it without RF help.
Several of us were convinced we saw my rocket descending under main about the right time after launch through binoculars, but I am *not* convinced that the photo Ray showed us of a rocket descending in that general direction was actually of my rocket. The chute looks about right, but what’s hanging beneath it doesn’t quite. It also now seems likely that my rocket is farther out than that photo implied. [shrug] So bottom line is I’ve stopped worrying about what’s in Ray’s photo and plan to focus my next round of searching along the line between the launch rail and where the nose was found.
mule
Here is a link to the wind vectors, scroll through them back to Friday night and then start coming forward. It looks like to me it would have gone north, and then north west under 10-15 knot winds. Friday to sat night. Then, Sunday on, 5 knot winds to the west and south west.
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ndfd/graphical/sectors/bou.php#tabs
I am still thinking a trip up on Saturday may happen, unless it gets really cold.
If you want to stop by and get my spotting scope, you are welcome to it. It’s going to reach out and find that rocked much easier than binos and it’s on a tripod. I will be here in the AM till 8:30 then I have to leave for the day. Depending on where you are, I could still meet up with you tonight if you want. Call me on my cell – 303-916-7051
GregBdale Garbee
Thanks for the offer, Greg, but the timing isn’t going to work out to pick up the scope from you. I’ll do what I can with what I’ve got, and report either way when I get home late tomorrow.
Murdock
I looked at my pictures, other than shots at lift-off I don’t have any of it 🙁
Bdale Garbee
I spent about 5.5 hours walking the area today with no luck. At this point, I assume it’s either stuck down in one of the nooks in the washes I didn’t get to, or someone picked it up.
Posted some ‘lost rocket’ signs along the roads with my contact info.
Murdock
So everyone knows where they are looking for. I hope it gets found soon, this sucks.
James Russell
mule
Bdale Garbee
Murdock
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