Last Launch Of The Century

Preparing an Aerotech G40-10W 29 mm composite motor for Vehicle 98 before the rocket's first flight in the afternoon of December 22, 1999, during what we termed the "last launch of the century" (top). We launched seven flights that day; this was the second.

Vehicle 98 measured 1063 mm in length and 57 mm in diameter. The rocket carried a Missile Works RRC2 altimeter, but it unfortunately failed to log the altitude on this flight due to a loose contact between battery and altimeter.

The boost phase of the flight was flawless. The drogue parachute deployed perfectly, the US Rockets standard main parachute was shredded upon deployment, however. Nonetheless, the combination of drogue and damaged main chutes ensured that the rocket sustained only very minor damage to its nose cone in spite of the hard landing (bottom).