Middle school students explore model rocketry

Observer Staff

7/5/2006 12:00:00 AM

Saginaw Chippewa Academy middle school student Eddie Pelcher was certainly shooting for the stars during a recent classroom exercise.

With overcast skies and a pushy west wind, the 13-year-old son of Earl and Mary Pelcher gently placed the launch rod through the straw-like tube on the side of his cardboard creation that featured an unorthodox fin configuration.

As the S.S. Eddie Pelcher sat on the blast plate awaiting a countdown and its subsequent maiden voyage, the captain expressed a pensive pessimism before lift-off.

"I'm not so sure," he said as he counted down from five before pressing the electronic ignition button. The rocket promptly shot into the air about 75 feet before the B6-4 engine prematurely reached the ejection charge and caused the streamer recovery system to deploy.

"That was pretty cool," remarked classmate Richie Bigford as the students commented to Eddie about his rocket.

Guided by Assistant Teacher Chuck Butzin, the students learned about model rocketry by building their own craft fueled by a single-use engine.