Canon PowerShot G9
ƒ/4
7.4 mm
1/1,250
80

Just the perfect venue, with thematic drive-up appeal… The kids loved it.

Silicon Valley boasts the largest rocketry club in the world. Yet, there is no “legal” launch site anywhere in the Bay Area, a situation that has become endemic across America.

Kids (of all ages) have launched over 500 million Estes rockets. It’s not for safety that rocketry has been pushed out of suburban areas; it’s fear of the unknown. Local communities would rather forbid launches in their backyard than think about the systemic effect once all communities do so. This recently happened here, when Livermore shut down the last Silicon Valley site for launches.

LUNAR (the Livermore Unit of the National Association of Rocketry) has been working diligently with NASA Ames for months to get the permissions and policies in place to allow periodic group launches at NASA. Today was a test launch to see that everything works out.

Hangar One behind us is the second largest indoor space in America. See below for a peek inside…

6 responses to “Rockets at NASA”

  1. jurvetson Avatar
    jurvetson

    Schmoozefest Aliens
    =)

    Reply
  2. jitze Avatar
    jitze

    I find myself aloft above this hangar on a fairly regular basis – it is on the default path for any aircraft landing at Palo Alto and coming from e.g. the direction of Santa Cruz. So I am happy to report that the Moffett tower is always on the ball about who transitions their airspace and when, and then vectoring them appropriately! I’d hate to have a close encounter with one of those things (SAM or Estes, makes no-never-mind)

    Here is an aerial view of your launch pad

    Moffet Field

    Reply
  3. pegleg000 Avatar
    pegleg000

    Years ago (20??), my sons and I launched Estes rockets from the Peterson JHS field in Sunnyvale. It was in the landing pattern for Moffett, so we had to watch for the P-3s before launching. I don’t recall prohibitions at the time, but that was well before 9/11, of course. I would think that Moffett field would be an ideal venue for rocketry, now that it is not used by the Navy. NASA should be more than willing to sponsor it, I would think…???

    Reply
  4. heavenuphere Avatar
    heavenuphere

    Lucky kids, I’m sure they loved that 🙂
    Fascinating shots, this is such an unknown world for me.

    Reply
  5. Erik Charlton Avatar
    Erik Charlton

    And view as we flew into SFO Wednesday….=)

    Moffett Field

    I heard that last month the Navy announced plans to remove the structure’s toxic panels and leave its steel framework in place. True? f so, it is a real loss of a great Bay Area landmark.

    Reply
  6. nmbrabner Avatar
    nmbrabner

    for information, it looks like Hanger One is going to be saved

    http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_19515086

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *