Greg Smith's quest to spend even more money on rocket science Blog 
Greg Smith's Blog Posts
Sport Rocketry / Scale Models / Nike Smoke
Design, buy parts, and build or buy a kit and build? (2008-04-08)
In 2002 I began considering designs for a level 3 attempt. Then I bought RockSim and in May of 2006 started designing "Tercero 2": However when I considered the costly and piecemeal ... [Read More]
Starting the Nike Smoke build... (2008-04-09)First thing's first. I typically start by sanding the fins but my Delta sander is barely long enough to accomplish this task!: One important note is that I'm both builder and ... [Read More]
CAD learning curve is steep! (2008-04-19)I just spent about three hours in Vectorworks assembling this CAD version of the Nike Smoke kit. My intent was to show some of the internal connectivity then add details later but I think I'm giving ... [Read More]
PB2k9: 7.5" Nike Smoke on M1939 (2009-11-12)For my 2008 birthday present my parents kicked in half of the cost of an Aerotech M1939 motor. They drove all the way out from Cochise, AZ for last year's Plaster Blaster which was almost completely ... [Read More]
Repair day (2010-04-10)After finishing my taxes today I decided to repair several ailing rockets despite needing to build/finish several others. First off I fixed the 4" bullet after an early I366 Redline flight with yet ... [Read More]
Building three simultaneously = efficiency! (2010-12-26)I'm taking advantage of my two-week break from work to complete construction on: 4" Extreme DarkStar - This was my gift to myself this year after seeing KO's success with the all-fiberglass kit. I've ... [Read More]
Lagger: Plaster City 1/1/11 Launch Report (2011-01-21)The coolness of the date of this launch was exceeded only by the complete lack of wind and excellent flying conditions all day. The primary reason for this delayed report is that I was trying to ... [Read More]
And... FINISHED!! (2011-01-30)Today I finished primary assembly of the Extreme DarkStar (right) and there's the final Nike Smoke my parents bought for me (left). [Update: While I was authoring this entry I figured out they'd ... [Read More]
Plaster City Launch - Feb. 2011 (2011-02-07)We benefitted from yet another late-winter, wind-free launch in the Imperial desert this last weekend. We're tremendously lucky to live in SoCal. I decided to be a Luddite and fly only motor ejection ... [Read More]
Lucerne - December 2011 launch report (2011-12-30)Despite the cold morning it was sunny and clear most of the day with essentially zero wind. Every once in awhile Madre Nature gives back. For awhile now I've been wanting to fly the AT I59 ... [Read More]
Building again! (2012-04-29)On the left Megan's kindly rebuilding my Madcow 4" Nike Smoke. Middle is my DarkStar "Heavy Duty" motor tube assembly. Right is the booster tube for my upcoming 2000MPH president's challenge on a ... [Read More]
Simple YouTube G185 video posting... FAIL... URE!! (2013-07-10)I've tried, for several weeks now by the way, to post an excitified version of a simple CTI G185 Vmax liftoff video to YouTube. In summary: DENIED. No idea why. Instead here's a ... [Read More]
Roctober, M2045: "...and when I get to one you push that button!" (2013-10-26)It's been several months since I've flown so... feeling blog-rusty. I attended Roctober at Lucerne Dry Lake on 10/12/13 and let's jump right into my first 7388M2045 Blue Streak ... [Read More]
Plaster Blaster 2013 for the win! (2013-11-10)What an amazing weekend with perfect weather and record attendance at Plaster Blaster! I was grateful that my parents trekked from Cochise, AZ and they were the icing on the desert cake. ... [Read More]
Back in it on the Lucerne tip (2014-10-12)I'm sad to report that I hadn't burned a single molecule of ammonium perchlorate since November 2013. Many factors including the FAA arbitrarily denying the SD club's waiver renewal (after 10 ... [Read More]
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