Winter is not a popular time for high power rocket launches. Few clubs actually hold major launch events in the winter months – and the rare brave souls who do are nevertheless subject to the weather. I did find a local club (about a 4 hour drive from Seattle) that has a standing FAA waiver to launch one day each month, but the weather hasn’t been cooperating and so it was cancelled in December, January, February, and March.

Fortunately, spring is here, and clubs start holding many more launches in the coming months, as the weather steadily improves. Unfortunately… COVID-19 hit, and everything is cancelled until further notice. So April is out, and probably May as well. Everyone is at home, with shelter in place and lockdown orders in effect.

On the bright side, it’s a great time to start construction on my next rocket. My most recent project, the HyperLOC 835, has a 4″ diameter body, with a 54mm motor mount. The body is made from (very durable) cardboard and the nosecone is plastic. It’s a great rocket and I’m looking forward to launching it on several different motors, and with a flight computer and electronics bay capable of dual deployment.

My next rocket, though, will be the Wildman Rocketry “Darkstar Extreme.” It also has a 4″ rocket body, but with a 75mm motor mount that can fit more powerful motors, potentially up to an M. (As an aside, an N or O motor only comes in the 98mm variety and would require an even larger diameter motor mount.) The rocket body is made from fiberglass, and the nosecone is fiberglass as well with an aluminum tip.

Above is the design file for the Darkstar Extreme, from Rocksim, a rocket design and simulation program.

And here’s the description from the manufacturer, Wildman Rocketry:

“TAKING IT TO THE MAX
Leave it to Wildman to push the Darkstar to the Max with this radical upgrade. No Mildmen allowed!
This beast is ready to rock on any motor you can stuff in it!”

Can’t go wrong with that. Time to take full advantage of the quarantine.