News

Scout Rocket Launch takes off

By Charles Frost
Staff writer
Published: May 7, 2008

NEWBURY — Model rocket fans should turn their attention toward the Plum Island Aerodrome on June 14, when hundreds of rockets will be launched more than 1,000 feet into the air.

The event, which is still taking sign-ups for families who want to participate, is part of the Lone Tree District Cub Scouts' second annual Rocket Launch for all ages.

Bryan Petrie, cubmaster for Georgetown's Cub Scout Pack 50, the lauch's organizer, started this new tradition last year when he took over as the events coordinator for the Lone Tree District, which includes Amesbury, Georgetown, Groveland, Haverhill, Merrimac, Newbury, Newburyport, Rowley, Salisbury and West Newbury

The Rocket Launch will be held June 14, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm in Newbury and the Plum Island Aerodrome, where a skydiving team will highlight the event.

The idea for the launch, Petrie said, came when he saw how his own children fell in love with rockets.

"Every time we watched something on television with rockets, the two of them would just sit and stare," said Petrie. "Then one of my sons went to a Boy Scout camp and shot a rocket, and it was all I heard about for a week."

Last year, the Rocket Launch drew more than 1,200 people and 500 rockets to the Woodsom Farm in Amesbury. This year's launch could attract 2,000, according to Petrie.

This year's launch was moved to the Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm after officials there offered to allow the Scouts to use the property. Steve Noyes, a former Boy Scout who now runs the Aerodrome, offered to open the historic airport to the public.

The Aerodrome will display its antique planes as well as provide gas-powered plane demonstrations. It will also provide tours of the facility and hold a pancake breakfast.

"For them to bring that is great," said Petrie. "Eight-year-old kids love that stuff."

A skydiving demonstration will take place at noon.

"Four people are going to jump out of a perfectly good airplane and present the Stars and Stripes, which should be awesome," said Petrie, who noted the Rocket Launch falls on Flag Day.

The Central Massachusetts Spacemodeling Society volunteers each year to help to administer the event as it requires a special permit to launch several rockets at once.

"These guys are amazing," said Petrie. "They will have 12 launch pads set up and roughly every 15 seconds a launch pad will launch rockets."

The rockets use a small chemical launching cell that looks like a roll of quarters. The launching cell has a firing pin on it and a small electrical spark goes off, launching the rockets 1,200 to 1,600 feet in the air.

The Boy Scout competition has also changed this year, said Petrie. Last year's rocket launching competition was a team event, with Scouts using payload rockets loaded with an egg, attempting to land their rockets without breaking it.

Prizes were awarded for a successful landing as well as the grand prize for the rocket that stayed airborne the longest.

The competition this year is individually based and allows Boy Scouts to launch their rockets multiple times. The Boy Scout rocket that is launched the most times will be declared the winner.

They will have an hour to fix their rockets after the first launch, only 45 minutes after the second, 30 minutes after the third and 15 minutes after the fourth and successive launches until only one remains.

Petrie said the best part of this event is that children interested in launching a rocket don't have to be in Boy Scouts or Cub Scouts and the activity is open to girls.

"This year is going to be completely different," said Petrie. "Any kid that wants to come and shoot a rocket off can. I don't care if you're 17 years old."

Anyone interested in launching a rocket may call Bryan Petrie Sr. at 978-352-4274. Cub Scout rockets are $15 and Boy Scout rockets are $25. No privately purchased rockets will be allowed to launch.