The skies over Thurston resonated with whistling roars and smoke trails this weekend. The Eugene Rocketry Club launched an array of missiles over Bob Artz Memorial Park on Saturday.
This was the rocketeers’ first time together since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fold-up chairs, picnic blankets, and small projectiles dappled an expansive field, and friends were eager to reconnect. But when the rockets were ready to launch, the attendees made sure to stay out of the way and off the range.
John Lyngdal is the Eugene Rocketry Club President. He said that along with being great fun, rocket launching can be a lesson in humility.
“This is rocketry: nothing is certain," he said. "Never say never, and no matter how experienced you are, it doesn’t mean that things will go as you plan.”
Lyngdal and many other club members remember shooting off rockets as children, and though the rockets themselves have changed, the feeling of camaraderie has not.
“The ones from the 70’s required a lot more craftsmanship. There’s still kits that require craftsmanship, and there’s kits that don’t," Lyngdal said. "It just opens up a lot more possibility for younger people to fly.”
Events coordinator Thomas Sterling is hoping to get local students involved in the airborne activity, and added that it’s something everyone can enjoy.
“One of the things that has changed since the 60’s and 70’s is that there are a lot more girls getting into the sport," Sterling said. "And part of that is the fact that the schools are starting to do it, and they get all the kids involved. And for a lot of kids, it’s the best way to learn Newtonian physics.”
People can learn about future launches on the Eugene Rocketry Club’s Facebook Page, or just keep an eye on the skies.