Boom!

The rocket is on the launch rail!

On Monday and Tuesday they loaded up the motors first and then the payload.  We are now completely integrated on the rail, and almost ready to launch.  We put all our equipment on the launch rail -- liquid nitrogen, our cooler, a couple digital meters and a power supply -- and strapped it down so that it will stay put when the rail goes vertical.  (As for whether all that equipment survives the launch…well, we'll see…)

Then we did a "boom" test.  Everybody gets away from the rail to a safe distance, and we remotely turn on all the devices on the rocket and on the rail.  Electronics create electric fields around them and can interfere with each other, so this test is to find out if any electronics are affecting the circuitry that fires the rocket engines.  The test is passed if nothing at all happens when we power up.  If the test is failed…well, that's why they call it a "boom" test!

We also spent most of the day today troubleshooting an RS-232 connection from our cooler on the rail to the safe house a few miles away where we will stay during the flight.  With several kinks successfully worked out today, we are now able to run the cooler remotely.  (Important because nobody will be allowed near the rail on launch day.)

Tomorrow: more sequence tests, including a vertical test.  Right now the rail is horizontal on the ground so that we can access all the parts of the rocket.  A hut over the rail shields it from the sun, wind, and rain.  In order to "go vertical" the hut will roll all the way back and the rail will be slowly raised up from its end so that the rocket is pointed almost straight upwards.

Launch time is 11:55 MDT on Friday.  Less than two days to go!