After a few frustrating failures, I finally got the tiny HD video cam to work as a strap-on this weekend at the BALLS launch event in the Black Rock Desert (high-temperature duct tape survives supersonic flight).
We started with our reliable “Quantum Nike” rocket on a sparky Aerotech K850 motor. The name is an homage to D-Wave and our dorky jokes about warped reality and blasting to super(sonic)position.
She pulled 34 G’s going 0 to 1,078 MPH (Mach 1.4) in 2 seconds flat. Apogee at 10K ft.
This a special rocket for me as it was my son’s first high-power build. We used four of his Jenga blocks vertically on the inside to couple the thrust from the bottom motor bulkhead to the bottom of the four fins. It was a perfect fit. For a drag race with our friend Erik, we once improvised a nose weight with what I had in the desert, and sent my son’s milk bottle up (a tasty treat on recovery).
It was quite nostalgic for me, as my son starts college today, and we have been doing rocketry together since he was 3.
Here is a video compilation from our rocket cam, pad cam, and remote camera at launch control. It was a perfect flight, spewing glowing qubits of titanium all about.
And here are my flickr photos of the Nike’s adventures at various launch events over the years.
Ground perspective (from my DSLR): 
and screen grabs from my 
coasting higher (flight line and shadow in the center)
Parachute deployment, just before inflation
A nice shot looking down the playa, where Burning Man was just 3 weeks prior
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