January - The Last Flight of the Pioneer

January 5th

The team conducted many flight tests out on the mesa.   We launched with team Delta.  This was our first launch of the rocket we built, the Pioneer.  We only got off one launch that day and it was a test launch with no ballast.  We went to 1032 feet.  But this gave us good data to start with.  We had intended on launching a few more times, but our lovely New Mexico winds kicked up and we had to scrap those plans.

Getting Ready

Tuesday January 27th
We were rushing and probably shouldn't have been, but it was a school night and it gets dark fast in the winter.  On Tuesday, January 27th we lost the Pioneer.  We did not assemble the motor correctly, the ejection charge went off too soon at a high velocity, and ripped parachute.  We lost her.  RIP Pioneer. 

The Final Flight of The Pioneer

December/January - Building Our Own Rocket

December 2014

We met for a 7 hour building session to build two rockets.  It was hard work but we did it. 

Having Fun

 Working Hard

 Consulting Design Software

 Tube Fins!

 Sanding, it's the small details.

 Two Rockets Complete:  Rocket 1: The Pioneer Rocket 2: Flying Squirrel.

November 2014 Build a Bigger Rocket

November 2014 - Learning the Basics and Building Borrowing a Bigger Rocket

We started meeting on Saturday mornings with the other team (Delta) and learning about different rocket designs and started figuring out how to use different rocket building software applications.

We were hooked.  It was time to build our own rocket.  Team Sigma was now formed, team assignments were made and it was official.  We were registered for the 2015 TARC!

We used our Student Advisor's rocket and launched a larger rocket.  It was AWESOME!

And 5, 4, 3, 2, .....

October 2014 Rocket Demonstration

October 2014 - Rocket Demonstration

At the initial ACTSO TARC meeting we were able to build smaller rockets.

1st rocket?  Done.

Then launch a rocket in a mini-demonstration of what we would be doing for the TARC.

Launch?  Check.

Team Sigma

Team America Rocketry Challenge - Team Sigma

What is TARC?

The Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC) is now in its thirteenth year of inspiring and attracting the next generation of engineers and technicians to join the aerospace industry. The Aerospace Industries Association's signature program and the only aerospace-specific national STEM competition, TARC has reached over 60,000 students and involved 4,000 students in 48 states during the 2014 season alone.

How Team Sigma was created:

Team Sigma was created in the fall of 2014.  We came together as a group on October 18, 2014 to watch a presentation about Rocket building and launching presented by Albuquerque ACTSO.  A bunch of students got together to watch the presentation.  There were kids there that were already TARC veterans and kids who never heard of TARC, but were interested in rockets.   There were enough students to create two teams, we were put together as Team Sigma and none of us ever built or flew a rocket before.  

What is is ACTSO?

ACTSO (Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics) is a national yearlong achievement program designed to recruit, stimulate and encourage high academic and cultural achievement.    Albuquerque ACTSO participates in the TARC as one of the yearlong activities.

Our Team:

Mentors/Advisors: 

Ms. Hernandez - Mentor

Lana - Student Advisor 

Mr. Smith - Technical Advisor

Team: 

Jeremy - 7th Grade - Team Leader and Software Specialist

Domo - 8th Grade -  Motor Specialist

Peter - - 8th Grade - Launch Specialist