Father/Son Bonding & Model Rockets

It was a great Sunday! Philip and I woke up early and went out for a bagel and hot chocolate. There's a bunch of people I know who live in and around the Kentlands who meet at the Starbucks there every Saturday and Sunday morning. So, the 2 of us go out to hang out with them. It's a lot of fun as they're all great people. (And my wife gets some much needed time to herself.)

After that, it was off to Lowes to buy a new lawn mower blade. We get home and it's time to install the blade. I love when my son is in the mood to learn how to do things as opposed to playing with his GameBoy. While he doesn't yet have the muscle to tighten the bolts on the lawn mower blade, I'm convinced that he learns a heck of a lot by watching it being done. I let him help where possible with screws and bolts, but I do the "heavy work".

We finish the mower and moved on the the car. We popped the hood of the car and checked the air filter. That involved some tools to loosen the screws that hold the air filter cover closed. My son, who is 7 going on 17, likes using my tools, so again, a good father/son bonding moment.

But the best part of our day was going to the Goddard Space Flight Center Visitors Center for a model rocket launch. The first Sunday of the month at 1 pm (weather permitting), a public model rocket launch is held. They've been doing it since 1976. It's open to all. We've been going for about a year and a half now. This time, we took Philip's friend Raymond. Raymond had never been before and he had a blast. I played the part of "Cool Dad". Helaine was the "Cool Mom" who had packed lunches and snacks. I showed the boys how the rockets worked and I did the pre-assembly. Packing parachutes, installing tocket motors and making sure the rockets are "flight ready".

Once ready, we stand on line for a safety inspection from the Range Safety Officer. The folks at the Visitors Center take things seriously. Model rocketry is a very safe thing to do, as long as it is done properly.

We pass inspection and get our rail assignments. There is an apparatus with 6 rails for launching. The model rocket goes on the rail. A remote detonator is attached to the igniter of the rocket motor. When ready, an electrical current is sent to the igniter which heats up and lights the rocket motor. The models that we launch can go several hundred feet high. It's rewarding to see the model that you built actually take off and work like it's supposed to work. The best part is actually retrieving your rocket and loading it up again for another flight. Our most prolific rocket had it's 14th successful launch and recovery.

14 is good, but I've heard stories of rockets with more than 100 launches. That means that the rocket parachute has worked properly and that the rocket wasn't lost in the trees or otherwise damaged beyond repair. Considering that the rockets are mainly thin cardboard tubes and pieces of plastic, I think that's pretty impressive.

Philip's friend Raymond was so impressed that he asked if he could buy one at the Gift Shop. After getting the OK from his parents, we now have another young person into model rocketry.

I always wonder as I look around at the kids at these launches, which ones will be inspired to become engineers, pilots or even astronauts. For me, it's a hobby that I've been pulled into because of my son's love of space things, but for these young kids, it may just be the very beginning of a life's work.

If you'd like more information about model rocketry, please visit the National Association of Rocketry's web site.