Rocket launch an Irish first

SHEEP grazed nervously in the Wicklow mountains yesterday, as Ireland's first high powered rocket roared into the sky above Kippure.

This was the first legally permitted rocket launch, at any rate. Who knows what those sheep have witnessed over the years?

But on this occasion, air clearance had been formally requested and granted, and the spectacle was enjoyed by a small but enthusiastic [crowd of would be rocket scientists, and two members of the Garda.

The event was a joint production between Mr Scott Bartel, a veteran rocket technician from California and the staff and students of Ballinteer Community School in south Dublin, who are working in association with Lasrach, the Irish rocket project.

Ballinteer has actually built in rocket of its own, but the launch has been delayed by what the project engineers term an "unforeseen setback."

So Mr Bartel, en route from the sixth International Scottish Rocket Festival to an exhibition in Berlin, was brought in to exhibit the effectiveness and safety of the process with his own rocket.

He didn't let them down. His six foot Hypertek Hybrid rocket did zero to 300 m.p.h. in about one second, reached a height of 2,500 feet 5.5 seconds later, and deployed its parachute exactly as it should before drifting back to earth.

In yesterday's strongish wind, it was last seen heading towards Roundwood, with a couple of rocket engineers racing overland on its trail.

The sheep could relax. The whole thing weighs about 6lb, and as long as the parachute opens, it lands softly.

It was clearly explained that the model consisted of an oxidiser tank, an injector bell and a fuel bell: "The fuel grain is moulded from thermoplastic and has an insert moulded phenolic nozzle. This monolithic grain functions as both the fuel and the combustion chamber."

Among those witnessing the event was the principal of Ballinteer school, Mr Austen Corcoran.

The launch was organised by a past pupil, Mr Sam Corbett, who is also the brain behind Ballinteer's own yet to be launched rocket, known as a Hybrid 2218 OR II, which its builders hope will be airborne in a few weeks.

The long term ambition of the Ballinteer project is to launch a much bigger 30 foot model such as the one displayed on a float at the St Patrick's Day Parade.