Once per month, smoke plumes, loud hissing sounds, and a crowd of locals can be found in a large Cedar Grove field.
It’s the sounds and sights of the Queensland Rocketry Society (QRS), launching rockets they’ve built or assembled recently.
Society president, Dr Matt Barton, who joined the group about 16 years ago, said an average launch day could see 30 to 35 rocket launches, and sometimes the number reaches as high as 60.
“Generally, we’ll launch high-power rockets first, then down to low-power rockets,” Ms Barton said.
“They can range from really small ones that a kid has built with their dad, up to big, high-power rockets that launch close to 1500m that our more experienced members have put together.”
Mr Barton said designing and building a rocket from scratch can take up to a year, depending on the circumstances.
Other rockets that have been bought and only have to be assembled can be ready for launch in only minutes.
“Some rockets you can buy, and they’re pretty much ready to launch, you just tie a parachute, put a motor in, and you’re good to go in 15 minutes,” Mr Barton said.
“I’ve also had projects that have been running for a year, because I’ve started building from scratch.
“Building larger rockets takes a long time to plan, get all the components, put them all together, to make sure you get everything right.”
QRS hosts 10 to 11 launches per year for its 60 members, on the second Sunday of the month, which the members of the public are free to attend.
Mr Barton said once or twice per year, the society holds a launch with designated public viewing areas, coffee carts, and food trucks, which can attract up to 1000 spectators.
“A big part of launch days is the socialisation aspect,” Mr Barton said. “There are a lot of friends that I’ve known for 10 or 15 years, who I only see once a month at the launches.
“It’s a good chance to get together.”
Students from the University of Queensland and Queensland University of Technology, who compete in the Australian University Rocketry Challenge, a national rocketry competition, often come along to launch days, Mr Barton said.
“They’ll come along to test their designs and rockets in preparation for the competition event later in the year,” he said.
“We try to get there and set up by 8am or 9am, and when we’re ready to start launching, members will bring their rocket along to the range safety officer responsible for the safety of the day.
“They’ll inspect the rocket to make sure it’s safe to launch, and once you’ve got the sign off, the rocket gets taken to the launch control officer, who will launch the rocket wirelessly once it’s been set up on the launch pad.”
Mr Barton said launching a rocket you’ve built, particularly one from scratch, can be nerve-racking.
“The real buzz comes when everything works as it’s supposed to,” he said.
“But I’ve blown up rockets a kilometer off the ground, and then it’s just a matter of scrapping all the parts and putting it back together and going again.”
QRS’s next launch date will be from 8.30am on Sunday, 8 February, 8 March, 12 April, and 17 May on Cedar Grove Road, Cedar Grove.
To view the full calendar or join the society and launch rockets of your own, visit queenslandrocketry.com.
