Hero Central: Rocketeer Launches Careers

Jonathan is part of group of northern California high-power rocketeers. Every year, they launch dozens of sophisticated science experiments for students from around the world.

The rockets fly miles high over the lakebed. Two miles is high enough for students to test their projects as they descend to earth under parachute.

"It seemed like a really good program, working with university students, engineering students, aerospace students," DuBose said.

The program is called ARLISS: A Rocket Launch for International Students Satellites. It was started in 1999 by an engineering professor at Stanford, and members of AeroPac, a high-power rocketry club in northern California.

At Santa Clara University, three young engineers Karen, Lauren and Frances are working on a project for NASA. They have built a small, low-cost nephelometer, which is a new tool for measuring air pollution. But to test the device, they need to launch it on a high-power rocket.

The nephelometer will measure particulates in the air, as it returns to Earth under parachute. The device is carefully loaded into Jonathan's rocket. If it's too tight, the payload will get stuck, and the rocket crashes. If it's too loose, the nose cone will come off in flight and the airframe will be shredded.

The altimeter, ejection charges, and parachutes all need to work for this flight to be a success. "I always envied engineers and people who were good at math," said DuBose. "I like hanging around with people like that. I learn a little bit here and there."

Jonathan's rocket, weighing about 50 pounds, roars off the launch pad with the science experiment on board. It appears to be a good flight as the rocket disappears from sight on a trail of smoke.

But after several minutes, there is no sign of the science experiment, which should be descending to Earth under its own parachute. Part of the rocket is falling fast under a tangled chute -- and there's no sign of the science experiment.

After several more minutes of scanning the skies, it appears something has gone wrong. Then suddenly, out of the blue, the nephelometer is spotted returning safely under its own parachute.

The student payload was recovered on the playa -- with science data intact.

"No damage at all," said Karen Chapski, one of the students who designed the nephelometer for NASA. "It appears to be in great shape!"

Jonathan's rocket landed a little hard, but lives to fly another day. The ARLISS record is still intact. More than 250 successful launches and never a student payload lost due to rocket failure.

Data from the science experiment will be used to develop a new device for studying air pollution. And it will help to launch the careers of a new generation of aerospace engineers, thanks in part to a hero who's hobby is building and flying rockets.

For more information, visit the Aeropac and ARLISS Web sites.