Pictures from the Paragon space launch attempt, Sept 14-18, 2003

Thursday, September 18

Images of Paragon Astronautics event and equipment displayed with permission.

Thursday was the last launch window. We had done all the preparations before on previous days. At Team Stratofox, we kept discussing and rehearsing parts of our plans, especially the parts that changed each day as members of our team couldn't stay any longer.

One thing that was different today was that Justin had to leave on Wednesday. So his passenger Jeremy was now riding in my truck. But since my other travel passenger Rafael was riding with Mark KC0JHQ in Stratofox 6, we had the back seats available in my truck. Kevin's father and step-mother wanted to ride with us on recovery and we determined we did have room to bring them. But for usual desert preparations, this meant there were two more people whose survival I was responsible for. So I put more water and food in the truck just in case we'd be out there for a long search, or if we got stuck and had to wait for a rescue ourselves.

We were never more ready than today.

But the winds were again just slightly out of the north. In the first morning attempt (during an open window in the Union Pacific train schedule that day) the winds aloft data from the balloons put the launch rail elevation setting 2 degrees too close to vertical for the launch criteria. The FAA denied a waiver...

Down to nail-biting time... the second window (during another window in the train schedule) was the last chance. The weather balloons were released again. Now the launch rail elevation setting was 1 degree out of tolerance. Again, the FAA denied any waiver.

We knew what the words meant when the announcer said, "The launch is scrubbed for the day." Though there was silence after that statement, the end hit us all with a "thud".

The FAA guy disappeared in a hurry. For those of us from California, this was a big disappointment - weeks of preparation/anticipation and days on the desert. But ours was nothing compared to the people from OEX who travelled from Minnesota. And we can only imagine how the disappointment was for Paragon who built the rocket, towed their trailer from Denver, and paid for everything.

For all of us it was a chance to make history - the world's first launch to space without any government funding. A chance to put our efforts and the Black Rock Desert in the history books as the Kitty Hawk of the 21st Century. And this day was exactly 90 days before the Wright Flight centennial.

At least on this day, it was not to be. But we'll all be back.

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(1536x1024 2024K) (500x333 24K) Thursday morning... Everyone knows it has to go today because it's our last launch window.

(1536x1024 2055K) (500x333 23K) Preparations are going on at the launch pad.

(1536x1024 2094K) (500x333 25K) Thursday morning at Camp Stratofox.

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(1536x1024 2008K) (500x333 25K) Thursday morning at Camp Stratofox. The antenna sticking up from the canopy is a UHF Ham Radio antenna.

(1536x1024 2053K) (500x333 26K) Thursday morning at Camp Stratofox.

(1536x1024 2005K) (500x333 31K) Cindy from Colorado brought us some chocolate chip cookies. Mmmmm!

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(1536x1024 1903K) (500x333 23K) Ian installs a magnet-mount Amateur Radio antenna on a BLM law enforcement vehicle so that they can monitor our communications. We had most of the mobile communications capability among the launch crews. Ranger Smith from the BLM Cedarville (California) field office would inform other BLM personnel of info heard from our channel. This also gave us immediate capability to call in law enforcement in case of an emergency. (photo by Sean Lynch KG6CVV)

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(1536x1024 1950K) (500x333 26K) Ian installs a magnet-mount Amateur Radio antenna on a BLM law enforcement vehicle so that they can monitor our communications. (photo by Sean Lynch KG6CVV)

(1536x1024 2065K) (500x333 31K) A pre-launch conference outside the launch control center. Left to right among the five conferring the foreground: Ky Michaelson (OEX), Jerry Larsen (OEX), Bruce Lee (OEX - behind Kevin, wearing hat), Kevin Sagis (Paragon), Bruce Kelly (Tripoli Rocketry Association).

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(1536x1024 1876K) (500x333 18K) The first weather balloon is away.

(1536x1024 1960K) (500x333 31K) Final preparations are made at the launch pad.

(1536x1024 1927K) (500x333 26K) After Thursday's launch was scrubbed, there were no more launch windows. It's an all-hands effort to remove the rocket from the rail.

[picture]
(1024x1536 1954K) (500x750 55K) Bringing down the launch rail - first remove misc equipment from the structure.

(1536x1024 1729K) (500x333 24K) The looks on everyone's faces says it's disappointing. But this effort is necessary and everyone continues.

(1536x1024 2386K) (500x333 53K) All able-bodied people helped with lowering the launch rail. The rocket can now be slid out on the rail.

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(1024x1536 2201K) (500x750 92K) The launch rail has been lowered to horizontal.

(1536x1024 2101K) (500x333 32K) The rocket is being removed from the rail.

(1536x1024 2058K) (500x333 36K) The rocket has been placed on its cart.

(1536x1024 2050K) (500x333 32K) The launch rail structure is being disassembled.

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(1536x1024 2070K) (500x333 29K) Now we've returned from helping at the launch pad. We'll have lunch before tearing down our camp.

(1536x1024 2605K) (500x333 47K) Trying to remove the aircraft tie-down is turning out to be as hard as we expected. It still wouldn't budge after digging this hole. Interestingly, we haven't hit water yet. So the water table is low.

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(1536x1024 2186K) (500x333 33K) Rafael tied a rope to the tie-down rebar and Mark's bumper. Mark pulled it right out of the ground.

(1536x1024 2147K) (500x333 31K) So the second and third tie-downs were removed without any digging.

(1536x1024 2028K) (500x333 27K) As members of the team finish lunch, they start tearing down their tents and packing their stuff.

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(1536x1024 2039K) (500x333 29K) The wind has been picking up a bit. At first this photo may not look so strange. But the big tent is still standing inflated only by the wind coming in the door after Dave and Rafael removed the poles that held it up. In fact, it's holding up the weight of the poles on top of it too. I had more than enough time to walk over from the truck (where I was packing things) and take a photo of the problem with the tent that wouldn't go down.

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(1536x1024 2266K) (500x333 41K) Camp Stratofox is now gone. The group makes final inspections to make sure we left no scraps behind. Well, Dave found something as seen in the photo. So it was good that we checked.

(1536x1024 1576K) (500x333 19K) On the way home, we're driving through Reno as the Sun sets over the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The mountains in the background are in California so we're making progress. After stopping at Justin's place to drop off Jeremy where his car was parked and at Rafael's place to drop him off, I finally got home at 1AM.

Back: Wednesday, September 17 Up: Paragon Space Launch 2003 Next: Paragon space launch 2003

(1536x1024 2024K) (500x333 24K)	Thursday morning... Everyone knows it has to go today because it's our last launch window.
(1536x1024 2055K) (500x333 23K)	Preparations are going on at the launch pad.
(1536x1024 2094K) (500x333 25K)	Thursday morning at Camp Stratofox.
(1536x1024 2008K) (500x333 25K)	Thursday morning at Camp Stratofox. The antenna sticking up from the canopy is a UHF Ham Radio antenna.
(1536x1024 2053K) (500x333 26K)	Thursday morning at Camp Stratofox.
(1536x1024 2005K) (500x333 31K)	Cindy from Colorado brought us some chocolate chip cookies. Mmmmm!
(1536x1024 1903K) (500x333 23K)	Ian installs a magnet-mount Amateur Radio antenna on a BLM law enforcement vehicle so that they can monitor our communications. We had most of the mobile communications capability among the launch crews. Ranger Smith from the BLM Cedarville (California) field office would inform other BLM personnel of info heard from our channel. This also gave us immediate capability to call in law enforcement in case of an emergency. (photo by Sean Lynch KG6CVV)
(1536x1024 1950K) (500x333 26K)	Ian installs a magnet-mount Amateur Radio antenna on a BLM law enforcement vehicle so that they can monitor our communications. (photo by Sean Lynch KG6CVV)
(1536x1024 2065K) (500x333 31K)	A pre-launch conference outside the launch control center. Left to right among the five conferring the foreground: Ky Michaelson (OEX), Jerry Larsen (OEX), Bruce Lee (OEX - behind Kevin, wearing hat), Kevin Sagis (Paragon), Bruce Kelly (Tripoli Rocketry Association).
(1536x1024 1876K) (500x333 18K)	The first weather balloon is away.
(1536x1024 1960K) (500x333 31K)	Final preparations are made at the launch pad.
(1536x1024 1927K) (500x333 26K)	After Thursday's launch was scrubbed, there were no more launch windows. It's an all-hands effort to remove the rocket from the rail.
(1024x1536 1954K) (500x750 55K)	Bringing down the launch rail - first remove misc equipment from the structure.
(1536x1024 1729K) (500x333 24K)	The looks on everyone's faces says it's disappointing. But this effort is necessary and everyone continues.
(1536x1024 2386K) (500x333 53K)	All able-bodied people helped with lowering the launch rail. The rocket can now be slid out on the rail.
(1024x1536 2201K) (500x750 92K)	The launch rail has been lowered to horizontal.
(1536x1024 2101K) (500x333 32K)	The rocket is being removed from the rail.
(1536x1024 2058K) (500x333 36K)	The rocket has been placed on its cart.
(1536x1024 2050K) (500x333 32K)	The launch rail structure is being disassembled.
(1536x1024 2070K) (500x333 29K)	Now we've returned from helping at the launch pad. We'll have lunch before tearing down our camp.
(1536x1024 2605K) (500x333 47K)	Trying to remove the aircraft tie-down is turning out to be as hard as we expected. It still wouldn't budge after digging this hole. Interestingly, we haven't hit water yet. So the water table is low.
(1536x1024 2186K) (500x333 33K)	Rafael tied a rope to the tie-down rebar and Mark's bumper. Mark pulled it right out of the ground.
(1536x1024 2147K) (500x333 31K)	So the second and third tie-downs were removed without any digging.
(1536x1024 2028K) (500x333 27K)	As members of the team finish lunch, they start tearing down their tents and packing their stuff.
(1536x1024 2039K) (500x333 29K)	The wind has been picking up a bit. At first this photo may not look so strange. But the big tent is still standing inflated only by the wind coming in the door after Dave and Rafael removed the poles that held it up. In fact, it's holding up the weight of the poles on top of it too. I had more than enough time to walk over from the truck (where I was packing things) and take a photo of the problem with the tent that wouldn't go down.
(1536x1024 2266K) (500x333 41K)	Camp Stratofox is now gone. The group makes final inspections to make sure we left no scraps behind. Well, Dave found something as seen in the photo. So it was good that we checked.
(1536x1024 1576K) (500x333 19K)	On the way home, we're driving through Reno as the Sun sets over the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The mountains in the background are in California so we're making progress. After stopping at Justin's place to drop off Jeremy where his car was parked and at Rafael's place to drop him off, I finally got home at 1AM.