As
you can see in the email trail below, the USAFA Space Club and its affiliated
rocket group (SPEAR) is creating a strong program for cadets, and they have
asked for our help. In coordination with AOG President Jim Shaw, our Space
Group now has a mechanism to earmark donations for these activities and send
them directly to Jim, who will expedite getting funds to the cadet programs.
I
encourage Space Group members and other interested readers of this email to
consider making a meaningful contribution to this fledgling cadre of cadet rocketeers and space enthusiasts. Just include a note with
your contributions indicating the restrictions, ie
"$500 for the Space Club", and send it to Jim Shaw, Association of
Graduates,
BTW,
FalconSAT-2 is set for launch soon from Kwaj. As of
today, I believe the launch is scheduled for 23 Nov. Thanks again to the
members of the Space Group who helped the cadets with this program.
Let
me know if you have any other ideas for the AOG Space Group.
V/R
Stan
In
a message dated 11/7/2005 7:51:04 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,
devin.della-rose@usafa.af.mil writes:
Dear
Dr. Rosen:
Greetings!
I wanted to give you an update on the activities of the Space Club's
rocket group that I'm mentoring (their name is team SPEAR, which stands for SPaceclub Engineers of Advanced Rockets), and also continue
our previous discussion about possible AOG financial support for the
group. The cadets launched their first round of rockets yesterday in
This
first round of rocket building has REALLY captured the interest and enthusiasm
of the 12 cadets involved, and they can't wait to move to the next phase
of SPEAR's activites.
The next series of rockets will be larger and more powerful, and enable the
cadets to become "certified" by the National Association of Rocketry
(NAR) to fly true high-power rockets. We have found that we need about
one rocket per two cadets in order to maximize the "hands-on"
aspects of both building and launching. I estimate the total cost for the
next round of six rockets--including the rocket propellant to
launch them--will be about $1000. I'm interested to know whether the
AOG is in a position to support any portion of this cost, and I thank
you in advance for your time!
Best
Regards,
Devin
Della-Rose
From:
Sent: Fri 9/23/2005 5:30 PM
To: Della-Rose Devin J Civ HQ USAFA/DFP
Subject: Re: FW: USAFA Space Club
Thanks
for making contact, Devin. I'll let you know what information I need to work
with the AOG.
Stan
In
a message dated 9/23/2005 4:12:06 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
devin.della-rose@usafa.af.mil writes:
Dear Dr. Rosen:
I wanted to take this
opportunity to introduce myself and add my thanks for your offer to check into
possible AOG support of the Space Club and our new high power rocketry Cadet
enthusiasts. As Cadet Rieth wrote, I’m the
mentor for the high power rocketeers in the Space
Club. Lt Col Swanson (DFAS) told me about you, and was planning to make
introductions, but when I saw the message from Cadet Rieth
to you, I thought it might be appropriate for me to send you this note. I
hope you don’t mind.
I’m just retiring from
Active Duty as a space physicist, and I’ve participated in high power rocketry
for several years now. I’m very excited to share my expertise and joy of
this sport with the Cadets, and help them take full advantage of the tremendous
learning opportunities at the same time. I’ve already got several
activities planned for the group, including test-firing of several high power
rocket motors I have. Mr. Jerry Stermer in the
Aeronautics test cells is working in conjunction with me on this. Also,
the rocket group would really like to build and launch their first rockets
before winter sets in. I’ve offered to “buy the first round” of rockets
myself to get things started. These smaller rockets won’t be a big
expense, but beyond that, fund raising and possible support from the AOG become
factors for our continued success. Therefore, if there’s any information
you need from me, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Well, that’s about it for now. I hope to meet you at
some point, and perhaps you’ll do us the honor of attending one of our
launches.
“It won’t fly unless
someone presses the button.”
--Homer Hickam
Best Regards,
Devin Della-Rose
//signed//
Dr. Devin J. Della-Rose
Department of Physics
719.333.3266
From: Thompson Jared J C3C
USAFA/CS22
Sent: Friday, September 23, 2005 12:17 PM
To: Della-Rose Devin J Civ HQ USAFA/DFP
Subject: FW: USAFA Space Club
Very Respectfully,
JARED J. THOMPSON, C/3c, USAFA
CS-22
Raptors
Class of 2008
From: Rieth
Jacob
Sent: Friday, September 23, 2005 10:42 AM
To: Thompson Jared J C3C USAFA/CS22
Subject: FW: USAFA Space Club
Maybe good news...
From:
Sent: Fri 9/23/2005 3:46 AM
To: Rieth Jacob E C1C USAFA/CS23
Subject: Re: USAFA Space Club
Thanks for getting in
touch again, Jacob. I understand how hard it is to keep an activity like this
going, and I appreciate your efforts to reinvigorate the Club and get
others involved in leadership roles.
I'll check with the AOG
and see what we can do to help support the Club's activities.
Stan Rosen
In a message dated
9/22/2005 10:58:30 PM Pacific Daylight Time, C06Jacob.Rieth@USAFA.af.mil
writes:
Dr. Rosen,
I wanted to thank you for your support of space at USAFA and apologize for not
keeping you in the loop about the activities of the Space Club. I am sad
to report that last year was a slow year with not much happening in the
club. This year however is proving to be much more dynamic.
We are already off to a great start with several discussion-based meetings that
drew a respectable crowd with even some faculty support.
One of the most important things we have done this year in my opinion is to
begin handing off leadership of the club to the future classes. I will be
graduating this year, so I handed over the presidency of the club to C3C James Carfagno. This will allow him to take charge while he
still has someone to ask advice from. He is very energetic and
enthusiastic, and I look forward to the future of the club in his hands.
Another thing we are adding this semester is a High Power Rocketry division of
our club. C3C Jared Thompson is heading that section up with the
technical support of Dr. Della-Rose from our Physics Department. One
thing that will crop up as that section spins up, and has already started to
some extent, is a shortage of funds. I know that the AOG sponsors many
cadet clubs through some minor and not-so-minor monetary gifts. I was
wondering if you knew how this process worked, so that the creativity and
dedication of that group of cadets won't be stifled by a lack of funds.
They should be able to make it through this semester without outside money, but
their goals for next semester will require some new source of money. They
will be proving the concepts of their plans by launching their first stage
rocket this semester, will should demonstrate they
wouldn't be wasting the AOG's money.
I apologize for the length of this e-mail. I wanted to make sure you
had all of the details on these issues, but there is alot
more going on that we will try to keep you informed on.
Thanks,
C1C Jacob Rieth
CS-23, USAFA Space Club
Cadet Advisor