Rocketry Videos

9 ft. tall Sledgehammer Video Rocket Launch (2010-05-15)

Aerotech M1500G motor. First footage is from the ground; then we get the rocket's perspective [View]

BALLS 2017 rocket launches (2017-09-26)

BALLS is the most extreme launch event in the world. By far. Our two launches were among the smaller projects: 1) 13' tall fiberglass Warped Reality on a N3180 Redline and 2) hitting Mach 1.8 and ... [View]

Big 3D-Printed Rocket Launch at October Skies (2018-10-22) (NEW)

At the limits of what a MakerBot Replicator can print, a 6x9" bowtie fin can on a 4"-diameter airframe, lathered in high-temp epoxy. She had her maiden flight at October Skies this weekend on an ... [View]

BIG Rocket Cam - Sledgehammer M1315 Launch (2012-02-09) (NEW)

We launched the 7.5 ft tall, 55 lbs rocket on a M-size motor (imagine four thousand Estes A engines) and she screamed over a mile straight up. This video is a compilation from 5 cameras, including ... [View]

Big Rocket Launch Video Compilation (2010-06-03)

I launched my 9 ft. tall Sledgehammer rocket with the biggest motor I have flown in California - an Aerotech M1850. This video is a compilation of the videocam on the rocket, the pad cam and a ... [View]

Big Sledgehammer Rocket Launch at DairyAire (2013-05-31) (NEW)

65 lbs. and 9 ft. tall flying on a long-burning M840 motor with footage from five HD video cameras. Photo page with Flight Computer graphs: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jurvetson/8907543560 In ... [View]

Big Sparky Sledgehammer Rocket Launch at Dairy Aire 2011 (2011-05-29)

55 lbs. 9 ft. tall, with multiple cameras on rocket and ground. GLR Sledgehammer rocket with video bay, honeycomb nomex wings under fiberglass. HCX and LCX flight computers. Rousetech CO2 parachute ... [View]

Corkscrew Rocket Launch at NASA Ames (2009-07-19) (NEW)

We put the strap-on video cam on my son's Initiator Rocket and launched it with a smoky Aerotech G38-4FJ motor. The asymmetric weight and drag was a bit much for this rocket and so it went into a ... [View]

Double-E Rocket Launch (2010-07-20)

I modified an Estes Double-D rocket with a new heavier nosecone, and a videocamera strapped to a fin tip, looking back through the dual plumes of fire. Flew it at NASA Ames on two Aerotech E15-7 ... [View]

Drone Deploy Rocket Launch (2018-09-28)

Our fiberglass and carbon fiber rocket screamed to 13,000 ft. and Mach 1 over the Black Rock Desert this weekend at BALLS 27. The on-board video camera caught the whole flight, but the asymmetry on ... [View]

Dude, Where's My Rocket? (2011-09-20)

It screamed supersonic into the sky and out of sight, with HD cam inside. Three techniques were used to find it: real-time GPS data streaming down, a RF directional beacon, and an experienced ... [View]

Epic Cluster Rocket Launch (2010-07-26)

launch photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jurvetson/4847019093/ This video is from the on-board videocam. My son designed and built this rocket from scratch. At first, the central Cesaroni ... [View]

Epic Cluster Rocket Launch at Dairy Aire 2011 (2011-05-28)

With HD video from the rocket. My son launched his scratch-built "Epic" rocket with three fin-tip motors and a central Skidmark lit by the on-board HCX flight computer. It also has an RF-tracking ... [View]

Epic HD Camera Rocket Cluster Launch (2011-04-04)

My son's scratch-built rocket had a perfect flight with onboard videocam and four motors, one of which was ignited by onboard computer.  (Still photos by Erik Charlton and Martin Hall) [View]

Epic Horizontal Rocket Launch with Fin-tip motors and Onboard HD Cam (2014-02-03)

Our launch at Snow Ranch yesterday reminded us of the adage: "Aim for the sky and try not to miss!" Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jurvetson/12279073303 [View]

Epic Pinwheel of Fire at LDRS (2018-05-25)

Evoking the "D" of LDRS this morning (Large Dangerous Rocket Ships), the annual rocketry event hosted by Tripoli Central California this year. We had a perfect launch to 14K ft., won a Crayon Rocket ... [View]

Epic Rocket Launch (2010-05-02)

My son decided to name his custom-designed and scratch-built rocket "Epic"... Here is the maiden test launch with a J360 Skidmark with ground footage and then the camera on rocket. The plan was ... [View]

Epic Rocket Launch, Pad Cam Audio (2010-05-26)

My son designed and built this cluster rocket from scratch, with nomex honeycomb fins, and an Aerotech Metalstorm engine on each fin edge. Since it's a fixed videocamera at the pad, the visual ... [View]

Erik's Bruiser XL Rocket Launch at October Skies (2012-10-22)

12 feet tall, and a perfect flight with a central dual-thrust K590 motor and two outboard J340 MetalStorms lit mid-flight by the on-board HCX avionics computer. Photos: http://www.flickr.com ... [View]

Erik's Bullpup Rocket Launch on an N2000 (2009-10-02) (NEW)

Our first N motor launch, and my she makes a pretty roar. Black Rock Desert, Nevada, for the Rocket Mavericks launch event. [View]

Erik's Two-Stage Rocket at Snow Ranch (2011-04-04)

A booster CATO pops the upper stage up, which then lights perfectly.  [View]

Four Quadcopter vs.Rocket Attempts (2014-07-14) (DELETED)

Parrot AR Drone versus: 1) Falcon Heavy kit-bash with three D motors, 2) 3D-printed fin can golf ball nosed rocket on H motor 3) Falcon 9 two-stage D staging to C 4) another print of the lost rocket ... [View]

Full Beer Keg Rocket (2008-10-01)

Team Numb did comfortably launch a fat rocket on a P7000 motor to loft a full beer keg from Oregon up over a mile high. 175 lbs of beer. They tapped it at the landing site (it was a perfect flight). ... [View]

Happy Fourth of July… with a huge rocket launch (2016-07-04)

On Sunday at Mudrock in the Black Rock Desert, we launched Warped Reality on a N1560 moonburner. My 12 ft. tall fiberglass went supersonic to 19,441 ft. and deployed two parachutes by computer ... [View]

Hot Squat Rocket Drag Race (2011-05-28)

My friend Erik and I drag raced a couple of phat squat rockets.... first off the pad wins... [View]

Huge Hybrid R10000 Rocket Launch at BALLS 20 (2011-10-04)

28 ft. tall, Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jurvetson/6208069952 [View]

HUGE R24000 Rocket Motor Launch at BALLS 2019 (2019-09-28)

The largest amateur rocket motor I have ever seen, and I have been going to BALLS every year since 2004. I was one of the only people out at the faraway launch pads to capture the moment., 340 lbs., ... [View]

Huge Rocket Launch (2008-09-30) (NEW)

The Rocket Mavericks team put together a beauty of a project, aiming for Mach 3 and 100,000 ft. altitude, launched in the Black Rock Desert, Nevada. The team is still diagnosing why it created a ... [View]

Hugo's First Rocket Launch at NASA Ames (2012-08-20)

His silver Estes Metalizer flew wonderfully as designed, so I helped him with a Aerotech AP motor with 4x the thrust of his first flight, and a strap-on videocam. =) Photos: http://www.flick ... [View]

Hybrid R Rocket Prep (2009-10-13)

Jeff's hybrid rocket was rebuilt, for the fifth time, hoping for a successful launch this year at BALLS in the Black Rock Desert. They were rushing to get it ready before the sand storms blew in... ... [View]

Mavericks Clotho Research Launches (2010-08-01)

Please see caption errata below. Photos: http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=clotho&w=44124348109%40N01 Mach 2.8, 650 pounds, 4 HD cams on board, biological sampling payload to see what microbes live ... [View]

Modifying the SpaceX Falcon 9 Flying Rocket Kit to go Supersonic (2019-02-11)

First test flight today. The F9 model rocket kit from SpaceX is designed for Estes D12 or E9 engines. I noticed that the rear plastic hub was exactly 29mm in diameter, so I decided to make it a ... [View]

My Big V-2 Rocket Launch with an N2000 Motor (2010-07-25)

Black Rock Desert. 9 foot tall V-2 with an Aerotech N2000 motor. Rocket Mavericks launch event Video montage from the pad cam and footage from Gretchen & Henrik. Thanks for all the help! [View]

My First Supersonic Rocket Shred (2011-10-17) (NEW)

Going Mach 2.5 at BALLS XX, our carbon fiber Mongoose98XL flying with a AMW Blue Baboon motor, dual flight computers, CO2 parachute-deployment cartridges and a real-time GPS streaming system on ... [View]

My Mach 2 Rocket Launch at BALLS 19 (2010-09-27)

My carbon fiber rocket with GPS transmission from the prototype G-wiz avionics bay screams to Mach 2.17 on a CTI N2850 motor, reaching about 33K ft. It was a perfect flight, with computer deployed ... [View]

My Mongoose 98 flying on an Aerotech M2100G at BALLS 25 (2016-10-02)

Going supersonic in the Black Rock Desert, Nevada last weekend. The rocket is a minimum 4" diameter all-carbon fiber airframe with onboard flight computers and RF tracker. Photos and details: ... [View]

My NIke Rocket Launch - Ground Video (2009-10-07)

My intrepid fiberglass Nike Smoke rocket had five successful launches over the past two weekends, at BALLS and RocketMavericks in the Black Rock Desert. For this launch, I am flying a K815 sparky ... [View]

My O-Motor Rocket Going Supersonic with a Speaking GPS (2013-08-09) (NEW)

It's like 4,000 Estes C engines going at once. Make sure to catch the voice of Kate at the launch at minute 1:35 Photos: http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=warped+reality&w=44124348109%40N01&s=rec [View]

Nest Rocket CATO on the Pad (2013-10-24)

Erik's sparky spectacle on the pad was captured by our Stanford film crew. The M2080 Skidmark motor over-pressured, shearing the metal case at the top and spewing white hot titanium sponge over the ... [View]

Other Peoples' Rockets at BALLS 2018 (2018-09-25)

OPR: 1) A high-power drag race of oversized Der Max rockets 2) A P10000 launch, with an O3400 sustainer 3) a 3-stage rocket with 3 N motors and active stabilization and 4) air-starting 4 J motors, ... [View]

Our "Green Planet" 🚀 Launch: 0 to Mach 1.8 in 1.8 seconds (2019-09-28)

We took our light and skinny (54mm minimum-diameter) rocket supersonic at the BALLS launch event over the weekend — it just rips into to the clouds, pulling 67g's going 0 to Mach 1.8 in 1.8 ... [View]

Our Mongoose98 and Pink Crayola Piggy Bank Rocket Launches (2017-06-08)

At Dairy Aire 2017. One was a great flight... The Pink Crayon rocket. The all carbon fiber, minimum diameter 98mm Mongoose flew on an Aerotech M1075 Dark Matter. [View]

Our Nike Smokin' Skidmark Rocket at BALLS (2019-09-30) (NEW)

This carbon fiber & fiberglass rocket has served us well for over a decade. We have a strap-on MateCam shooting down and during the parachute decent, we capture the launch of an M-motor rocket ... [View]

Overhead Video Drone Plane at XPRS Rocket Launch (2009-05-01)

The silence of the desert revealed the faint buzz of an overhead video drone. I stepped out of the sun tent for a closer look. Video is from the plane, of course... =) [View]

Planet Atlas Rocket Burst Mid Launch (2018-10-27)

A bit too much powder way too early. The 14 second delay ended up being 9 seconds on this very old Aerotech J420 Motor, launched with on-board HD Cam, luckily just above harms' way. At October Skies ... [View]

Prom Date Rocket (2008-08-31)

Burning love at LDRS (Large Dangerous Rocket Ships) in Argonia, Kansas in August 2008. [View]

Quantum Nike Rocket at BALLS 2018, with videocam on Board (2018-09-24)

We launched our reliable Quantum Nike rocket this weekend on a sparky K850 motor at the BALLS launch event in the Black Rock Desert. Blasted from 0 to 1,078 MPH (Mach 1.4) in 2 seconds flat. Rocket ... [View]

Rocket Drag Race (2008-10-01)

Not to be outdone by Team Numbs Beer Keg launch (see earlier video), I improvised with what I had in the desert, and sent my son's milk bottle up in a Nike Smoke and got it 100 ft. higher (6258 ft. ... [View]

Rocket Drag Race at NASA (2011-08-21)

My Starburst rocket with HD cam on board took off just before the Sumo and captures both the scene of the NASA facility with its vintage zeppelin hangars and the speck of the other rocket racing up ... [View]

Rocket Mavericks Medley (2009-10-02)

First I launch my fiberglass Nike Smoke rocket on a Cesaroni L1030 thermoplastic motor from Canada. Then Tom launches his scratch-built carbon fiber rocket on a home-brew N1000 motor to 17,500 ft. ... [View]

Rocket Propellant Disposal Party (2013-11-30) (DELETED)

The proper way to dispose of reject solid propellant is to burn it. How perfect! So we save the rejects of the year for a annual burn, such as a Q-grain with lumpy oxidizer and my cracked titanium ... [View]

RocketMavericks Night Launch Medley (2010-07-28)

three rockets at night: My Binder Thug on a H170 Metalstorm and then an I357 Blue Thunder. Then Jim Green's home brew M1400 sparky - the largest night launch I have seen. [View]

Sledgehammer M1550 Launch - Onboard video cam (2008-12-08)

This was the biggest launch of the day, with the largest motor permissible in California. Mavericks Sledgehammer flying on a Aerotech M1550 Redline motor. It was a perfect flight, with video ... [View]

Sledgehammer Rocket Launch on Largest Legal Motor in California (2013-10-29) (NEW)

My Sledgehammer rocket, on the new M2245 Imax motor. Blasted the 60 lb, 9-ft. tall rocket 1.5 miles straight up. October Skies 2013, Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jurvetson/10558143764/ [View]

Sledgehammer Rocket Launch, Pink M1675, Onboard Video (2011-04-10)

We launched my 9-ft. tall Sledgehammer with two on-board video cameras, two logging flight computers, radio beacon and a CTI M1675 Pink motor. 56 lbs. at the pad. Zesty! Here are some blastoff ... [View]

SpaceX Falcon 9 Kit First Launch (2012-02-05)

Designed for Estes B and C size motors, I tried something twice as powerful for the first launch, an Aerotech D10W-7. It was a perfect flight at Snow Ranch. Photos: http://www.flickr.com/ph ... [View]

SpaceX Falcon 9 Orbital Insertion (2010-06-05)

Part 2. The upper stage burns brightly as this video takes us through SECO and the end of broadcast. The upper stage Niobium alloy nozzle is as thin as a Coke can. Here is a picture of it under ... [View]

Superfast Rocket Shred (2010-07-26) (NEW)

Here's a photo of the burst: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jurvetson/4825287621 The motor vendor gave me a heads up that this would be a reflex photo opp. The Vmax propellant has been prone to ... [View]

Supersonic 3D-Printed Rockets (2014-05-27) (NEW)

some fun by the sea for memorial day [View]

The Nest Rocket (2012-10-23) (NEW)

Turning up the heat with a M2200 Skidmark Squirrel from Animal Motor Works, with a vintage recipe, infused with titanium sponge, choked oxidizer, and some special sauce that passed with the AMW ... [View]

Triple Threat Rocket Launch (2010-10-11)

24 ft. tall. 120 lbs. N to N to L-size motors. Adrian Carbine and team from Portland Oregon launched this three-stage tower late in the day making for some wonderful lighting. The CTI N4100 booster ... [View]

V2 Launch with huge Sparky Motor (2009-10-01)

Awesome photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jurvetson/3961794276 The AMW 98/17500 is the largest motor you can buy in America, and it's illegal in many states. So we went to Nevada. Even the ... [View]

Warped Reality Rocket Launch at BALLS (2012-09-24)

12 ft. tall and dripping with the green letters of the Matrix, she roared off the pad with a Cesaroni N2600 Skidmark motor. Photo pages: http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=44124348109@N01&q=war ... [View]

Warped Reality rocket launch on a N5800 (2014-09-15)

This is the most punishing motor I have ever tried, and we had a perfect supersonic flight. Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jurvetson/15057374639/#comment72157647206485329 Two flight computers, ... [View]

XPRS Supersonic Skidmark Rocket Launch (2011-09-22)

Something about this sparky shower just makes me smile. =) Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jurvetson/6178411264/ [View]

Zoox Assault Rocket Launch at LDRS 2018 (2018-05-23)

Our all fiberglass rocket shot to 14,300 ft. on an Aerotech K250 long-burn motor. Altitude logged by the onboard HCX flight computer. At LDRS (Large Dangerous Rocket Ships) launch event this past ... [View]