Rocket Carrying Ham Radio Payload Reaches Space!
NEWINGTON, CT, May 17, 2004--An amateur rocket carrying a ham radio avionics
package reached the edge of space May 17. Launched from Nevada's Black Rock
Desert, the 21-foot Civilian Space Xploration Team (CSXT) GoFast rocket
quickly attained the 100 km altitude to make Amateur Radio and amateur
rocketry history. Two earlier CSXT attempts to reach space--the last almost
two years ago--were unsuccessful. A jubilant Avionics Team Leader Eric
Knight, KB1EHE, called the successful launch "a phenomenal experience."

"It just roared off the pad and flew into space," said Knight, who lives in
Unionville, Connecticut. "Everything went like clockwork this morning, and
it was an awesome experience. We're all kind of on an adrenaline high right
now."

The GoFast vehicle--named for one of the project's commercial
sponsors--lifted off from the desert floor at approximately 11:20 AM PDT.
The CSXT team, plus observers from the Federal Aviation Administration, were
up and at the launch site several hours beforehand, however, and Knight said
the rocket crew--which includes several radio amateurs--did a "dress
rehearsal" prior to the actual countdown and launch.

Knight said several West Coast hams who learned about the rocket launch from
ARRL news accounts showed up to assist in locating the vehicle, which was
estimated to have returned to Earth some 26 to 30 miles downrange from the
launch site. Knight said Monday evening that the rocket had not yet been
recovered, but the ham radio telemetry package was continuing to transmit.

"We have a telemetry beacon telling us where it is--that it's alive and
waiting to be found," Knight said. The rocket transmitted telemetry on the
33-cm amateur band and color Amateur TV pictures on 2.4 GHz. An HF special
event station, K7R (for "rocket") didn't get much airtime, Knight said,
"because we've been really focused on the mission."

"Everything came together very well," Knight said. His avionics crew
includes eight Amateur Radio licensees, most of whom also were involved in
the 2002 launch attempt. Former Hollywood stunt man--Ky Michaelson of
Minnesota, directs the 18-person CSXT team.