National Model Rocketry Academy

[wwildcat]

Hello!
This is the "official" announcement that Indiana is the location for a new "NCSA" style activity that we are going to bring to CAP. We have approval, we are just "getting the word out" at this point.

It will be a week of the CAP Rocketry program mixed with astronaut speakers and other "space" related activities and fun thrown in for good measure.

Applications will be taken at the same time the NCSAs take theirs. We ARE WORKING towards getting NCSA credit however as yet we do not have that approval. We should have it shortly.

The event will be held in the State of Indiana, the location to be determined shortly.

REQUIREMENTS FOR ATTENDANCE (Cadet)

1) Previous Basic encampment successfully completed.

2) Mary Feik [Cadet Senor Airman] is the minimum achievement you must have completed

Successful completion of this event will lead to an increased knowledge of model rocketry and the CAP "Pocket Rocket" awarded to you for completing the CAP model rocketry program while in attendance.

This event is open to any eligible cadet in CAP with an interest in space/model rocketry.

We plan to get NCSA credit for this (its in work as we speak) so the NCSA ribbon is also to be awarded when completed.

We plan to make a patch for the event, a "challenge coin" as well as giving you the knowledge to safely launch and recover model rockets. We also plan to show you the history of rockets and to give you the basic foundation for interest in space-- many have this already!!

Hope to see you there!

Major Williams of Kansas Wing

(one of many helping to make this a successful event!!)

[lordmonar]

Do we have a ball park of when and how much it is going to cost?

BTW....sounds like a cool NCSA.

[wwildcat]

We will have that information shortly. This is just the initial "lets get the word out" announcement.

"More information to follow shortly."

[Alaric]

Hello!
This is the "official" announcement that Indiana is the location for a new "NCSA" style activity that we are going to bring to CAP. We have approval, we are just "getting the word out" at this point.

It will be a week of the CAP Rocketry program mixed with astronaut speakers and other "space" related activities and fun thrown in for good measure.

Applications will be taken at the same time the NCSAs take theirs. We ARE WORKING towards getting NCSA credit however as yet we do not have that approval. We should have it shortly.

The event will be held in the State of Indiana, the location to be determined shortly.

REQUIREMENTS FOR ATTENDANCE (Cadet)

1) Previous Basic encampment successfully completed.

2) Mary Feik [Cadet Senor Airman] is the minimum achievement you must have completed

Successful completion of this event will lead to an increased knowledge of model rocketry and the CAP "Pocket Rocket" awarded to you for completing the CAP model rocketry program while in attendance.

This event is open to any eligible cadet in CAP with an interest in space/model rocketry.

We plan to get NCSA credit for this (its in work as we speak) so the NCSA ribbon is also to be awarded when completed.

We plan to make a patch for the event, a "challenge coin" as well as giving you the knowledge to safely launch and recover model rockets. We also plan to show you the history of rockets and to give you the basic foundation for interest in space-- many have this already!!

Hope to see you there!

Major Williams of Kansas Wing

(one of many helping to make this a successful event!!)

Will you need staff?

[Peeka]

Will this activity include the advanced stages of the Model Rocketry program when they are released?

[LTC Don]

 :clap:
Good luck with this; there should be a lot of interest in an NCSA like this. 

[Eclipse]

Will there be frogs?

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/nasa-rocket-launch-accidentally-lifts-frog-space/story?id=20237426

[Critical AOA]

:clap:
Good luck with this; there should be a lot of interest in an NCSA like this. 

Absolutely.  This is the kind of activity that cadets should be encouraged to do.

[MacGruff]

How does your program differ, if at all, from the Model Rocket program that CAP has?

My squadron has a model rocketry program run in accordance with CAPR 50-20 which leads to the badge/patch wear on uniforms. What will you be offering that will be different from that?

Curious....   

[Walkman]

How does your program differ, if at all, from the Model Rocket program that CAP has?

My squadron has a model rocketry program run in accordance with CAPR 50-20 which leads to the badge/patch wear on uniforms. What will you be offering that will be different from that?

Curious....   

Meaning no disrespect, but it might not differ at all. You can get GTL or MO in your unit/wing or you can go to NESA for the same qual.

I really like this idea. Continuing with the NESA analogy, spending several days focused on one topic in an environment filled with others having similar passion provides a depth of experience you can't get sometimes doing weekly meetings here & there.

One of my sons is a new c/Amn and will do his first encampment next year. If the timing is right, I'd like to send him to this one as well. Keep us posted.

[Eclipse]

+1 - Doesn't have to be "different", just "done".  A lot of units have rocketry fits and starts but never complete anything.

This activity will presumably have highly experienced staff and access to all the necessary equipment and resources.  Most of the time
75% o the effort is getting people to show up.  Once yo have them as a captive audience, you can knock it all out at once.

Cadets who attend can then bring their experience back to help their unit's rocketry program.

[MacGruff]

Meaning no disrespect, but it might not differ at all.

I take no offense. I am curious as to whether they are planning on teaching different stuff. That's all.

+1 - Doesn't have to be "different", just "done".  A lot of units have rocketry fits and starts but never complete anything.

This activity will presumably have highly experienced staff and access to all the necessary equipment and resources.  Most of the time
75% o the effort is getting people to show up.  Once yo have them as a captive audience, you can knock it all out at once.

Agreed, Eclipse, with all your points.

In our squadron program we run it as a special activity on weekends. We had about 18 cadets go through Stage 1 of the program. 13 of them signed up for Stage 2, and only 8 showed up to the class. It will be interesting to see how many of those will show up for the Stage 3, eh?

As far as timing goes, I am also interested to hear how they handle the requirement in Stage 2 that a model be built of an historical rocket... that can take some time to build  (unless you get those snap-together models, I suppose).

I hope wwildcat logs on to respond.

[Майор Хаткевич]

As far as timing goes, I am also interested to hear how they handle the requirement in Stage 2 that a model be built of an historical rocket... that can take some time to build  (unless you get those snap-together models, I suppose).

That's the way I hope they go.

Boost the Rocketry program overall.

Go there, get Patch/Badge/Star on Goddard ribbon after your Mitchell, AND an NCSA ribbon? Awesome. A week is more than enough time.

[LTC Don]

Glue drying time seems to be the biggest construction headache but although more expensive, CA (superglue) can definitely shorten construction time while using white glue for fillets.  Of course, with CA, you pretty much only get one shot or two at the most to position the part properly 

The Estes FAQ advocates a CA brand called ZAP that comes in different viscosities.

What types for glues work best to build model rockets?

In general terms, adhesives that work well with porous materials (balsa for example) do not always work well for bonding non porous materials – like plastics. Some rocket builders recommend using glues like Elmers Carpenters Wood Glue and Titebond for bonding balsa and paper parts together, but these glues will not hold plastic nose cone parts together at all. For plastic, something like Testors Plastic Cement (red tube) works very well. Both of these glues are usually found on a model rocket builders bench along with some type of epoxy.

You can use some types of CA (Cyanoacrylate) glues for bonding both porous and not porous materials together. Several rocket builders use a brand called ZAP and it comes in thin, medium and thick viscosities...they recommend the medium (lime green label) as a glue that will bond various materials together. However, while the bond of the CA to plastics is good, they do not believe it to be better than solvent based adhesives, like Testors Plastic Cement or something else called Tenax 7R, which is a liquid that you brush on and it literally welds the plastic parts together...and it is super easy to use.

[MacGruff]

Glue drying time seems to be the biggest construction headache but although more expensive, CA (superglue) can definitely shorten construction time while using white glue for fillets.  Of course, with CA, you pretty much only get one shot or two at the most to position the part properly 

Chuckle.

You got that right. There is another problem with CA and cadets....   They tend to get stuck to different things!

[kmorisen]

At present, the project is being planned for the Summer or Late Spring of 2014, however, the plans are not finalized nor has the activity received any final approval from any level of command within Civil Air Patrol. In addition, as this has not been approved as of yet, this is NOT a new NCSA and will at this point, be eligible for the NCSA ribbon or credit

The planning staff will continue to keep everyone informed as to the progress of the planning and hopefully, approval process.

Major Krista Morisen, CAP
Indiana Wing Group III
Indiana Project Officer--Model Rocketry Academy.

[GroundHawg]

Back when I was a cadet, our Group ran an annual Model Rocketry Encampment. It was a Type B, on two consecutive weekends, and attendance was HIGH. Cadets would attend multiple times to compete against each other on builds. There were awards for different categories for highest flight, longest flight, best looking, etc... It also allowed people to build their "resume's" by building up encampment clasps and staff positions for a fairly easy to run and really fun couple of weekends.
I hope Indiana gets this off the ground and running! (and adds a squadron in the Lawrenceburg area )

[THRAWN]

I can't come and play physically, but if there is anything I can do to help, let me know. Email or PM me.