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diff --git a/src/md/36_Little_Rocket_Scientists.md b/src/md/36_Little_Rocket_Scientists.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..584388d --- /dev/null +++ b/src/md/36_Little_Rocket_Scientists.md @@ -0,0 +1,83 @@ +--- +title: Little Rocket Scientists +--- + + +Hopefully, this story is the last one about failures and fiascos of the +pyrotechnic kind, but then my life might become a real yawner. We'll +see....\ +\ +This story is about a fund-raising effort by our ward. It was held to +raise money for the summer camps of our youth. The bishop asked those +who wished to contribute to offer a service of some kind that would be +auctioned off at the fund raiser. I decided to offer a family rocket +science experience. It turned out to be a popular item in the auction +and was purchased by a young family with 4 aspiring little scientists. +Here is a photo of the family in front of the barn where the rocket was +launched. + +{width="6.5in" +height="4.854861111111111in" alt=""} + +First, I went to their house and helped the children build the rocket. +It was an impressive rocket that featured a video camera at the base, +near the fins. It also had a rather expensive electronic circuit in the +nose cone that was designed to use the earth's magnetic field to sense +when the rocket reached its peak altitude. Then the circuit would fire +an explosive charge to eject the parachute, allowing the rocket to float +safely back to the ground.\ +\ +Now, I had already flown this circuit in other rockets. It worked +beautifully, if I do say so myself. It did have one rather annoying +feature, however. The circuit worked by sensing when the rocket tipped +over. This normally happens when a rocket has fired its motor and then +coasts upward until it finally slows down. The rocket will naturally tip +over and come back down with its nose pointing downward, just like an +arrow would. This means that you must be very careful when preparing to +launch the rocket. Once the circuit has been armed, if you ever happen +to allow the rocket to tip over, it will fire the explosive charge.\ +\ +Because this rocket was so large, it was impossible to slide it onto the +launch rail while in a vertical position. The only solution is to slide +the rocket onto the launch rail while the rail is lying horizontally on +the ground. Then the rail is lifted into the vertical position for the +launch. Can you guess what the problem is? This means that the astute +rocket engineer must disarm the ejection charge, mount the rocket on the +launch rail and then use a ladder to reach the nose cone of the rocket. +By carefully lifting up the nose cone, the ejection arming switch is +then pressed while the rocket is in the vertical position. Then it is +ready to launch.\ +\ +On the day of the launch, I helped the family do all the preparations +for the final countdown. We placed the rocket motor in the rocket body +and attached the electric igniter. We attached the video camera to the +base of the rocket and tested it to make sure it was working. We even +held a trial countdown to make sure the chosen launch engineer could +correctly count down from 5 to zero. I mentally went over all the items +on the checklist, but I still had a nagging feeling that I had forgotten +something. Ignoring the feeling as launch day jitters, we all retired to +the launch control area to observe the launch. Just as the young boy +said "... two, one, zero" and pushed the launch button, I remembered +what we had forgotten. Too late.... The rocket roared into the sky and +flew beautifully upward at breath-taking speed. Then, it majestically +slowed and finally nosed over at its peak altitude. This is when the +ejection charge was supposed to fire, but I knew it wasn't going to +happen. I had totally forgotten to arm the ejection circuit. +Consequently, the rocket came back to earth and smashed into the ground +just like a large lawn dart. DOOOOUUU!! 50 dollars of delicate rocket +circuitry were smashed into oblivion in the blink of an eye.\ +\ +Even though I knew exactly what had happened to cause the failure, I +acted puzzled and didn't explain my terrible blunder to the family. They +never knew what had caused the parachute to fail to eject, but I didn't +want to ruin their excitement. For young kids, a crash is just as +memorable as a successful flight, so I suffered in silence as we ran to +retrieve what was left of the doomed rocket. Again, it was a family +memory that they will probably remember forever, so I reasoned that it +was worth the expense in the end.\ +\ +It's just so hard to live with my inward shame of yet another failure. I +resolved to someday make it right by redesigning the ejection system. It +kept me scheming and dreaming for years afterward. |