AboutTodd Panico Expertise I can answer questions about designing, building, testing and flying single stage model rockets using 1/4 to D size engines.
Experience I have been flying model rockets for about 25 years. I have been designing rockets for about 15 years.
Publications I have written articles that have appeared in the local newspapers Weekend/Hobby section.
Education/Credentials I have been taught basic aerodynamics by The US Air Force.
Awards and Honors I have been awarded many Certificates of Appreciation from the Boy Scouts and local schools for giving demonstrations and guiding scouts to earn their rocketry badge.
Question My son is a Webelo Scout and his Pack has a 10 station launch pad built many years ago with no plans by someone who is no longer in the pack. Not quite as elaborate as the Boy Scout Troop in Austin, TX who set the record of over 900 rockets launched in 5 seconds to an altitude of over 500 ft.
A friend moved to another pack and is trying to get the pack to start up a Rockethon. Are there any plans, drawings or diagrams of multi station launch pads that you could direct me to. I would really like for those kids to experience the thrill of Model Rocketry the way we have the past 4 years.
Answer Hello Mike,
I'm sorry I can't find plans online. The launch pads should be easy to build. If you are wanting 10 stations, build a very long saw horse (12'-16'). Then install the 10 launch rods which should be 3' by 3/16" diameter steel evenly along the saw horse. For a more permanent launch pad, you could sink some 4x4s in the ground and run another 4x4 from post to post. Blast shields are as simple as a piece of aluminum flashing available at Home Depot or a home improvement store like that. It's used to make a seam between a chimney and roof shingles. Best part is they come in 4"x6" size and are cheap. Punch a hole that will fit over the launch rod and bend them into an upside down "V" with the hole along the bend and slide them over the launch rods. That's it for the pads.
The launch controller is a whole different story. It's not something that can be described easily, but I'll give it a shot. The biggest thing that goes into a launch controller is 'safety'. Back in the old days we had what was called a nail board. It is just what it sounds like. The igniters where tied to nails on a board and when we want to launch the rocket we just touched battery leads to them and 'phhhttt' away it went. It can be as simple as that if you have an adult CONSTANTLY watching the nail board. But having more built in safety is better. This is when it gets complicated. Having one battery running to a launch button, which will route current to a safety switch, usually a key switch. Radio Shack has them. This is the safety feature. It should be 'connected' to an adult. When the adult walks away, the key goes with them. The after this switch, current would be routed to a rotary switch or a set of toggle switches that would allow you to choose which rockets would be launched. The toggle switches would allow for multiple launches at the same time. I have used these for 'rocket races'. The only thing missing from this system is that you do not have a continuity light telling you a good circuit to the igniter. These can be designed into the circuit making sure that you don't send to much current down the wires to the rocket.
I hope this make a little sense. If you have someone in the pack that has some knowledge of electronics, have them disassemble a ready made launch controller and they should be able to build a better one.
One other thing to note. The more rockets you want to launch together, the bigger the battery will need to be. For big events we used a marine deep cycle battery and it gave us more than enough power for the day. If you are only going to have 30-40 single launches in a day, a motorcycle battery will work.
If you have any more questions feel free to ask.
