College Team Information

We Welcome All College/University Teams!!!

As our club continues to evolve, a major area of emphasis has been around the development and support of the Collegiate Rocketry programs of major universities and colleges across our region. We love working with students of all skill levels and our partnership with college teams is one of the most rewarding aspects of our club.  

We offer colleges many ways to partner with Tripoli North Texas (TNT). From mentor programs on technical building techniques, motor propellent mixing and testing, to the use of our field for test flights prior to larger competitions, partnering with TNT can be a tremendous asset to your team. 

The teamwork and focus necessary to launch a complex project can sometimes be overwhelming and we want to create an environment that is organized and streamlined so your team can focus on the task at hand. As our program has matured, we have developed the following guidelines to ensure safety and consistency at the field. We request that each individual team review and adhere to the following procedures:

 

Leadership 

1.  We request that each team designate a President or Team Captain to be the primary interface with our club. 

2.  Reach out to us and introduce your team. We would like to learn about your program and what you are seeking to accomplish.  This will allow us to better assist you.  

3.  Each team wanting to launch rockets at our field will need to have a Flyer of Record. This is normally an advanced flyer who acts as a mentor for your team. They must hold an active certification through either Tripoli Rocketry Association (TRA) or the National Rocketry Association (NAR). Their certification level must be appropriate for the size of motor that your team presents for flight. If a team wants to fly a research motor, the Flyer of Record must be a member of TRA. 

National TRA or NAR Memberships Requirements

It is essential to understand the importance of the nationally recognized organizations of amateur rocketry. There are 2 main governing organizations – Tripoli Rocketry Association (TRA) and the National Association of Rocketry (NAR). These national organizations determine the safety rules and regulations of our sport as well as provide insurance coverage to their members when operating under their specific guidelines.

Both TRA and NAR offer the ability to form local clubs under their national guidelines. Our club, Tripoli North Texas (TNT), is organized under the Tripoli framework and is technically referred to as a Prefecture. As such, all our operations are strictly conducted under the published guidelines and safety regulations of the Tripoli National organization. The club was organized approximately 35 years ago and is Prefecture #58.

A membership in the national organizations is not required to attend the launches as a spectator or to assist in the construction of the team rocket. However, if you want to participate in the actual launch activities - i.e. taking the rocket to the launch pad and preparing it for flight, having a national membership is required for insurance purposes.

Tripoli offers 3 membership categories – Junior (Aged under 18), Student (18 to 25 with valid student ID), and Senior (non-student 18 and over). The cost of a student membership is $20.00 and can be obtained online at www.tripoli.org. 

Membership in Tripoli North Texas

We welcome and encourage our fliers to become members of our club (TNT) but it is not a requirement. For college teams, our only requirement is that the President or Team Captain become a club member. This ensures that the team will be included in all member communication that goes out regarding launches, club meetings, and other advisories.  

We appreciate the financial support from the optional club membership by students as the money goes directly to maintain our equipment and the launch site. To make it easier for students to contribute, we have created an individual college membership for the cost of $10.00 per year.

How to register your team to attend a launch 

1.  The Flyer of Record for the team is the only person that should register as a Flyer for the launch. They must register online prior to the event and will pay the launch fee for your team rocket at that time.  

2.  All other team members that are attending the launch must also individually register online as a Spectator and no individual fees are charged. (If they want to help at the pad, they must be members of either TRA or NAR).

Our launches are held on private property and require anyone attending, even spectators, to complete a liability waiver. This waiver is included in the online registration process for both flyers and spectators for efficiency. 

3. Upon arrival of the team at the field, the Flyer of Record and the team President or Captain should come to the registration table and check in.  At this time, the Flyer of Record will need to present their national membership card in TRA or NAR for verification and will receive a wrist band allowing them to access the launch field.    

Any team members who wish to participate in launch operations (going out to the pads) should also come to the check-in booth and present their national registration card. They will also receive wrist bands so they can access the field.  

Field/Flight Operations

Each team can set up in the parking area to work on final flight preparations. We recommend bringing pop-up canopies to protect from the sun, plenty of water, sunscreen, and food (there are no food vendors on site). If winds are expected to be over 10 MPH, make sure you have a way to anchor your canopy to the ground.  weights or guy wires are essential to keep your canopy from being blown over and destroyed by the wind.  


Once the rocket is prepped and in flight-ready condition, the Flyer of Record, the President or Team Captain, and a maximum of 2 team members should complete a flight card (downloadable online or available on site) and present the rocket and flight card to the Range Safety Officer (RSO) for inspection and review. The team should be prepared to discuss the particulars of the rocket and the flight plan. Details will include motor choice and retention, expected altitude, rocket stability calculations including center of pressure and center of gravity locations (CP should be marked on the rocket), electronics being used for recovery, method and size of recovery chutes, as well as tracking devices onboard. After approval of the rocket by the RSO, the team will be directed to the Launch Control Operator (LCO) who will assign an appropriate launch pad and clear the team to enter the field. Again, only members of TRA or NAR can enter the launch area.

Rocket Recovery

Once the rocket has flown, the entire team is permitted to participate in recovering the rocket – provided it lands outside of the active launch area. Keep in mind the following points during recovery:

• If the rocket lands in the active flight area, recovery members must have TRA or NAR membership to recover the rocket, and must wait until given permission to enter the area by the LCO or RSO
• If you know the GPS coordinates of your landing site, you can reference the large area map at the LCO station.  this will allow you to plot your recovery journey in the most expeditious way.  Ask for help from the launch director if possible.  
• Always stay in teams while reccovering and when it is warm, take plenty of water with you.  
• Never drive a vehicle onto any field without express permission from the landowner – failure to follow may result in being suspended from attending future launches
  
• Do not climb over barb-wire fences – you can break the wire or get hung-up and injured – have one member lift the bottom wire and roll under it, or find a gate or other opening
  
• If you open a gate to walk into or exit a field, make sure the gate is immediately and securely closed
  
• The Launch Director (Matt Bukin) can assist if you need help determining how to access your rocket in a remote field
  
• The landowners make the launches possible – always treat them and their land with respect – no garbage, no large groups in plowed or planted fields, do not harass livestock, etc. 
• If asked to leave an area by a land owner, follow their directions and then contact the Launch Director for assistance
• Report any damage to fences, gates, livestock issues, or anything of concern to the Launch Director so it can be proactively handled with landowners

 

Individual Member Certifications 

Many teams have members that want to pursue individual high-power certifications. We encourage this and will gladly assist in the process!

Individual Tripoli certifications are all coordinated and approved thought our club Prefect. The Prefect is the liaison between our club and the national organization. In summary, the normal process for certifications is as follows:

1. You must be a national member of TRA
2. You must personally build a rocket suitable for the size of motor that you are flying
   
3. You must register as a high-power flyer for the TNT launch you are attending
   
4. You must successfully pass the written test if required for your certification level. 
   
5. You must have the Prefect at the launch witness your flight 
   
6. The flight must be successful with no damage to the rocket that would impair it from flying again immediately – the rocket must be inspected by the Prefect after recovery
   
7. You must complete the certification paperwork and have it signed by the Prefect subsequent to the flight
   
8. The paperwork must be filed with the National office.
   
   

 

Cheat Sheet

Flyer of Record (FoR)  –  A mentor for each team. They must be a national TRA or NAR member certified to fly motors at the level the team is using if no one on the team has such certification. TNT membership preferred but not required. Must register for the launch and pay the team launch fee and check in at the field and be banded to access the launch area.

Club President or Team Captain  –  Must be a national TRA or NAR member and a member of TNT.  Must register for the launch as a spectator (no charge) and check in upon arrival at the field and get a wrist band.

Team Members Participating in Launch Operations at the Pad –  Must be national TRA or NAR members but do not have to be members of TNT.  Must individually register for the launch as spectators (no charge) and check-in upon arrival and present their membership card and receive a wrist band to access the field.

Team Members Not Participating in Launch Operations  –  Must register for the launch online as spectators (no fee).  Do not need a national TRA or NAR Membership, a TNT Membership and do not need to check in at the field.   

Range Safety Officer (RSO)  –  Wiil review the rocket with the FoR, the club President, and up to 2 members of the team and approve the rocket for flight.

Launch Control Officer (LCO)  –  Will assign the team to the appropriate pad and will clear the team onto the field for launch setup and recovery (if needed) 

Club Prefect  –  Liaison between our club and the national organization.  Will sign off on all individual certification flights