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Date: 9/11/2026
Subject: September 12, 2026 - Launch Announcement
From: Tripoli Minnesota


TRIPOLI MINNESOTA - PREFECTURE #45 
September 12th
Our Sixth Rocket Launch of the Year
  
All launches will be held at in North Branch, MN - Central Turf Farms.
For the day launch
  • Setup starts at 9:00 am
  • Flying starts at 10:00 am
  • HARD Stop at 5:00 pm
For the night launch
  • Flying starts at approx. 7:30 pm
  • HARD Stop at 11:59 pm but usually ends between 9pm and 10pm
Please stay for tear-down or partial tear-down from the day and night launches.
Day waiver to 20,166 ft and night waiver to 5,166 ft above ground level is weather dependent.

Volunteer at the Launch!

Please support the launch by helping out with any of the many things that need to be done every launch.
There are spots available for:
  • Range Safety Officer (RSO)
  • Launch Control Officer (LCO)
  • Porta Potty tow vehicle
  • Club Trailer towing
Volunteer at the Launch
The weather looks good for tomorrow except for the winds. It should be mostly sunny with temperatures from the mid 60's to the low 70's. The cloud deck should be between 17,000 to 19,000 ft. The cloud deck should be above our waiver altitude for the night launch. Given the sun please bring plenty of water and sunscreen as well as covering to avoid sunburn.
 
During the day launch there will be a 9 mph wind with 15-17 mph gusts blowing from the northwest shifting to the west northwest throughout the day. That means the rockets will drift towards the high power lines and the woods to the east as the day progresses. For the night launch the winds will drop to around 1 mph with 9 mph gusts from the west northwest.
On-Field Provisions: 
Food - Brian's Brats
Rest Room - We will have a handicap accessible porta potty at the field.
Trash - There are usually two trash cans located near the LCO table.  Please use them.
 
L- Certification Motors:
The club has bought a few H-size motors and has them available for new members who would like to fly their L1 certification. See us at the club table if you need one for your flight. We have:
38 mm :  Aerotech H283-15A Super Thunder and Aerotech H219T-14A Blue
29 mm:  Aerotech H115DM-14A Dark Matter
 
Ron Bentz will have some motors at the launch for those who may be interested.
 He will have Aerotech 38mm H100W-14A's along with 29mm H115DM-14A and H135W-14A motors at his tent tomorrow.
If you are new to the club and not aware, these are a few points of etiquette:
  • This is a working farm.  Please be respectful of the land, roads, and fields.  The turf is a cash crop.  Let's treat it as such.
  • All vehicles should drive slowly on the roads.  The road is dirt & clay, so if its wet, it DOES get sloppy.
  • When you get to the field, please back into a spot.  We want to keep engine fluid drips as close to the road as possible (farm's request).
  • If there are freshly planted fields that your rocket lands in, only send one person to retrieve it.  Less tracks = less crop damage.
  • The fields are surrounded by drainage ditches.  They are deep!  If you need to cross one, find the spot where the sprinkler crosses.
Rocketry Rules Refresher:  
  • Always make sure pyro charges are disabled until at the pad.
  • With all mid power and high power rockets: DO NOT install igniters until at the pad.  Low power rockets are the ONLY exception.
  • Keep the rocket pointed in a safe direction on your way to the RSO table, and towards the pads once at the table.
  • Arm all pyro controlling electronics at the pad, prior to installing the igniter.  
  • Never, ever, ever... catch a rocket.
  • Do not retrieve another person's rocket without consent or knowledge of the flyer.
    •  Ejection charges may still be intact, or electronics may need attention prior to moving the rocket.
    •  It makes it very hard to find a rocket that has already been retrieved.  Note the location and call it in.
  • Only HP certified fliers are allowed at the pads (sorry kiddos).
  • If you hear the air horn, LOOK UP!  

Rocket Crashes are Scary for EVERYONE!

There were several rockets that came back to the flight line at recent launches.  It is everyone's responsibility to keep your eyes on the sky!  If you hear the horn and/or a heads-up call it is not just for fun, it's a signal that we have a rocket that is heading towards the flight line.  Looking up is not optional!

Stop, Look up, and Get out of the way!!! 

If you are unsure of your rocket's recovery setup, please ask!  The club is full of great people always willing to help.  A second set of eyes (even for experienced fliers) is not a bad thing.  We have all had bad things happen we can't explain, but we need to make sure every attempt has been made to have a safe recovery.  
Gary Stroick
Prefect - Tripoli Minnesota Inc.
prefect@tripolimn.org
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