• second booster separation
  • first booster stage separation
  • Duck and cover! - Mike_fj40

Icarus

This flight went wildly unstable… just as I predicted on GeekDad…. but I had to give it a try. =)

“Flower Power” (R.I.P.) was a mélange of three rocket kits, with altimeter nosecone, and festooned with flower stickers. This flight added a D12-0 with booster fins, taped to a D12-0, taped to a E9-8.... Each motor ignites the next at burnout.

Soon after liftoff, it went into an upward spiral, but when the booster fins on the first stage fell away with a burst of blue smoke, it started to wildly flip about overhead (cue Devo: Whip it Good… Jerkin' Back 'n' Forth).

When the weight of the second booster stage fell away, the E9-rocket combo finally stabilized, but the random walk left it pointing down... So it hit maximum acceleration in a straight zoom back at us.

It landed about 15 ft. from the pad, a lawn dart under thrust.

Comments and faves

  1. Mr Geoff (74 months ago | reply)

    Wow! That is so cool!

    --
    Seen in my Contacts photos. (?)

  2. Victor1 (74 months ago | reply)

    whipped good!

    how close were YOU to the landing...puncture?

  3. msamaclean ©...be back soon!...;-) (74 months ago | reply)

    Ya, very cool. Thanks for sharing it!

  4. TheAlieness GiselaGiardino²³ (74 months ago | reply)

    Weeeeeee! :D

    This photo is SUPERB in all the ways!!!! Luv it luv it luv it!

  5. I is (74 months ago | reply)

    woa, that must have been scary

  6. Egmel (74 months ago | reply)

    I love the way you've got the trail to frame the sun, a cool shot :o)
    --
    Seen in Scientist Photographers (?)

  7. Spaceman Spiffy (74 months ago | reply)

    Sweet shot! A spectacular failure.

    That was a little too close for comfort.

  8. walk the rock (74 months ago | reply)

    Very fortunate you were prepared for this shot--nice capture indeed! Well done

  9. whiteoakart (74 months ago | reply)

    Every disastrous failure should be this good.

    seen in "Things that make you go hmmm"

  10. Stargazer95050 (74 months ago | reply)

    At first I thought it was from some acrobatic airshow !!!

  11. Starlisa (74 months ago | reply)

    hee hee... you did all that just so you could get this awesome photo! Good work!!!!!
    (R.I.P.)

    --
    Seen in XploreMyPix! (See rules) (?)

  12. jurvetson (74 months ago | reply)

    I try to have a camera handy when hijinx are about....

    stargazr: well, I guess it became an acrobatic airshow after all...

    thanks y'all. Rocket launches are my favorite photography subject

  13. CatsFive (74 months ago | reply)

    Run for your lives!!!!!!

  14. The Rocketeer (74 months ago | reply)

    Icarus is a great title for this.

  15. citrit1 (74 months ago | reply)

    Please add this beautiful photo to CITRIT,Best of yours!
    Citrit group

  16. Felipe Morin (74 months ago | reply)

    great capture! oerfect framing!

  17. Paul moved to paul_peeraerts.ipernity.com (74 months ago | reply)

    Perfekta bildo; perfekta teksto!


    A+++ Grade Photo

  18. Number Six (74 months ago | reply)

    What a great capture.

  19. tomasvacek (74 months ago | reply)


    A+++ Grade Photo

  20. dare6 (74 months ago | reply)

    the "A" Class/post 1-comment 2 . Comment on any two<br>please, group icon
    Your photo is "A"Class
    please, consider adding this photo to

    www.flickr.com/groups/a-class/

  21. Mr-Sparkle (74 months ago | reply)

    That's an incredible photo, nice work!

  22. *0ne* (74 months ago | reply)

    too cool! amazing shot, great title, and dear lord, you used the word "festooned" in your caption. fantastic. instant fave!

    Scientist Photographers

  23. m a y a* (74 months ago | reply)

    This is fantastic.

  24. Pianoman75 (74 months ago | reply)

    Well, at least you got an awsome photo out of the adventure! :))

    --
    Seen in The World Through My Eyes - Post 2 / Comment Any 1 (?)

  25. Trpster* (74 months ago | reply)

    WONDERFUL PHOTO.

    So sorry for the misfire[?], but you got a great photo out of the ordeal!!

    The World Through My Eyes

  26. mysparetimedesign (74 months ago | reply)

    (ACTION NOW)
    Well sometimes when things fall apart we are just busy looking in the wrong direction....but you didn't when this happened. Great shot!

  27. cheesekid (74 months ago | reply)


    A+++ Grade Photo

  28. swifferkins (74 months ago | reply)


    A+++ Grade Photo

  29. lutrasimilis (74 months ago | reply)

    This is a good scientific photography. Thus, I've chosen it to stay in the group pool of Scientist Photographers. It's a great capture! Good lucks on the scoring next week.
    --
    Seen in Scientist Photographers (?)

  30. dash - (74 months ago | reply)

    beautiful!!!!!!!

    A+++ Grade Photo

  31. Tripod Ape (74 months ago | reply)

    You crazy guys!

    A+++ Grade Photo

  32. Hotortillas (74 months ago | reply)

    Your pic has been featured in Las Mejores Fotos de Flickr

  33. Damgaard, (TheObsessivePhotographer.com) (74 months ago | reply)

    Really cool!

    Absolutely A Super A+++ Photo!

  34. Chris[topher] Lin (74 months ago | reply)

    Great title for the path of the rocket. Better luck next time!

    --
    Seen in a discussion of Scientist Photographers. (?)

  35. Orange_Wedge (74 months ago | reply)

    Are there events in the UK or EU that I could attend? A quick search with rocketeer rocket club uk london, keywords was unfruitful. An association or keyword suggestion? Cheers in advance.

  36. jurvetson (74 months ago | reply)

    Thanks y'all.

    Wedgie-orangé: I asked major Tom, and he was helpful, as always. Here are the UK high power contacts:

    Tripoli English Midlands(116)
    PAUL LAVIN
    449 LUTON RD
    HARPENDEN
    44 1582 713765
    plavin@btinternet.com

    Tripoli United Kingdom(108)
    CATHERINE BASHFORD
    34 WYCLIFFE RD
    LONDON
    44 20 77381544
    tripoli@bfo.org.uk

  37. flattop341 (70 months ago | reply)

    Ouch! I bet that hurt!

    Hi, I'm a member of a group called Five Flickr Favs (Invite your favs too!) , and we'd love to have your photo added to the group.

    FFF group icon

    Check out our group's rules and our interactive discussion threads for more details.

  38. Camerist Obscured (66 months ago | reply)

    Hard Hat Photography!

  39. knightoyo (63 months ago | reply)

    awesome shot


    I saw this in the 50+ Faves group and Faved it.

  40. B℮n (63 months ago | reply)

    Waaaooh!!!!


    I saw this in the 50+ Faves group and Faved it.

  41. HE~GOES (63 months ago | reply)

    Great shot!

  42. senzapareti_01 (63 months ago | reply)

    How many attendants did it kill ? ;-)

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