CanSat Launch 2008 picture page
Thursday 5 June the NAVRO launch tower is assembled first after arrival.
With a little help of nature, the canvas is pulled over our party tents frame.
Meanwhile DARE assembled their launch tower for the first time.
These are the top halves of the CanSat Launcher v5's. The right most one is a v4 of last year taken along as spare. This day they were also labelled.
NAVRO's smaller launch tower was erected to display one of last years' CanSat Launcher v4's.
The tents for the guests were being erected by a commercial company before we arrived.
DARE erected an army tent, but they needed some help.
On Friday morning the top halves of the rockets were ready to be prepared.
DARE members erect their launch tower.
The launch area is ready for the launches to begin.
Arjen Plaizier makes an adjustment to one of the legs of the NAVRO launch tower.
Before the launches began the press was invited to the launch area.
More press.
The crane of which the CanSats who were not selected for a flight in a rocket were to be dropped.
Radio interview.
After the press left, the bottom halves of the rockets were brought to the launch area.
The first rocket is mated and prepared for launch following a thorough checklist.
The first rocket is placed in the launch tower.
Pyro technician Mark Uitendaal connects the igniter.
The launch of the first CanSat Launcher v5.
The first rocket is about to land.
Meanwhile preparations on the top half of the second rocket were going on.
The builders of the CanSats were allowed to place their own one in the rocket, as is done here in the second rocket.
Meanwhile the first rocket was brought back. It's parachute module was twisted during parachuting.
The film unit of the military base brought their high speed camera with them.
The motor of the second rocket has just ignited. The military truck is of the base's film unit.
The second rocket in flight.
Some of the high school students who build the CanSats.
Between the launches CanSats were dropped from the crane.
The second rocket was brought back more intact than the first, although it's parachute module was twisted a bit too.
Hein Olthof, DARE's pyro technician, connects the last pyrotechnics of the third rocket.
The launch of the third rocket. The sign in the front reads in Dutch ironically "No smoking".
The landing of the third rocket.
Some recovered CanSats.
The fourth rocket is placed in the launch tower.
Pyro technician Mark Uitendaal connects the igniter.
The fourth rocket just after it left the launch tower.
The fourth rocket broke when parachuting between the parachute and CanSats modules.
One of the teams place their CanSat in the fifth and last rocket.
The lower half of the fourth rocket.
The fifth rocket in the launch tower just before the launch area is cleared for connecting the igniter.
The launch of the fifth rocket.
The fifth rocket in flight.
The fifth rocket flew quite level at its top and parachuted a bit late.
The late parachuting resulted in an entangled parachute. The CanSats never left the rocket and landed hard inside lower half.
The recovered fifth rocket.
Some final CanSats were dropped from the crane after the last launch.
Arjen Plaizier is amazed by the residue left behind by the sugar based rocket motors.
