Belgian Launch Campaign 2004

Transinne, Belgium, 18 July, 2004 - On Sunday 18 July a small but dedicated group of NAVRO members visited the Belgian Launch Campaign 2004 (BLC 2004). This launch was organised by the Euro Space Center in collaboration with the Vlaamse Raket Organisatie (VRO) and the Groupe d'Etudes Aérospatiales (GEA). In all its wisdom the organization cancelled the VRO's W2 rocket launch. While two rocket's, the Castor (VRO) and the H-11b (NERO) were launched before the public arrived, because of safety reasons. The one amateur rocket that was launched after we arrived, was the Reflux (GEA), which motor malfunctioned. The day ended with an HPR launch, which was the best the launch we saw that day. All in all the organization had a very lean programme at the public part of the day.

The following pictures were taken that day by Harry Advokaat, Bert Koerts and Pleun Punt.

A model of an Arianne 4 rocket in the Euro Space Center. Kids from a space camp are experiencing moon like gravity in front of a Space Shuttle mock-up. Pleun Punt and Harry Advokaat. The launch of model rockets was part of the space camp as well. The command post at the launch site. The empty NERO launch tower. GEA's Reflux in the launch tower. Lift off of the Reflux. After 20 metres the Reflux started spinning and turning wildly. It can be seen in the upper left corner. Bert Koerts is taking a picture of the damaged Reflux. The reason the Reflux went astray was that during the flight a hole originated at a weak spot of the motor. Lift off of an HPR rocket.