Pictures from the Paragon Dragoon II Launch, June 6-7, 2004

Launch and flight
Monday, June 7, 2004

Images of this event were posted with permission of Paragon Astronautics.

The launch countdown proceeded smoothly. Weather was within launch criteria based on the design of the rocket and FAA launch permit requirements.

As the rocket launched, cameras and camcorders recorded the event. Everyone watched with excitement. But the minutes of the flight, the excitement turned to disappointment as everyone realized one-by-one that something was wrong...

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(1536x1024 827K) (500x333 12K) The rehearsal was completed successfully. Now final close-outs are completed at the pad for the real launch. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

(1536x1024 956K) (500x333 25K) Many more attendees are present this morning as the launch countdown proceeds. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

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(1024x1536 904K) (500x750 33K) The launch pad at T-10 seconds... (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

(1024x1536 798K) (500x750 27K) Liftoff! (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

(1024x1536 574K) (500x750 12K) The Dragoon II rocket climbs out. The breeze has already blown the plume away from the pad. All but the most experienced observers have not noticed anything wrong yet. But the damage has already been done at this point which will prevent it from reaching space. The nozzle failed and was scattered in pieces around the pad at liftoff. In this picture, the expansion pattern of the gas plume is too wide, indicating subsonic expansion. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

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(1024x1536 555K) (500x750 12K) The Dragoon II rocket accelerates out of the frame. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

(1024x1536 544K) (500x750 9K) The Dragoon II rocket accelerates upward. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

(1024x1536 568K) (500x750 10K) As this corkscrew pattern develops, everyone with rocketry experience recognizes this as a bad sign, that some bigger failure is imminent. At the point, the uncontained hot gas plume has probably damaged the fin canister, making the gas plume uneven. But many attendees are still not aware there's a problem yet. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

[picture]
(1024x1536 540K) (500x750 10K) This was the next sign that something was seriously wrong. It isn't possible to stop a solid rocket motor. So this gap in the gas plume indicates the motor may be "chugging", an intermittent failure to maintain enough internal pressure to generate thrust. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

[picture]
(1536x1024 523K) (500x333 4K) The intermittent gas plume and flight stability problems get worse as the rocket arcs over prematurely. Stratofox's downrange observers on Mormon Dan Peak and Black Rock Point estimated the rocket reached about 20,000 feet at this point. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

[picture]
(1536x1024 516K) (500x333 3K) The erratic thrust knocks the nose sharply downward, a move from which the rocket will not recover. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

(1536x1024 505K) (500x333 3K) More erratic thrust and another change in direction. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

(1536x1024 520K) (500x333 3K) The thrust is weakening to the point that it is no longer making significant sideways course changes as the rocket falls. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

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(1536x1024 586K) (500x333 9K) More intermittent gas plumes occur throughout the remainder of the fall. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

(1536x1024 579K) (500x333 13K) More intermittent gas plumes occur throughout the remainder of the fall. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

(1024x1536 552K) (500x750 12K) The dotted line marks the path of the rocket's descent as the motor continued its "chugging" to impact. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

[picture]
(1024x1536 791K) (500x750 29K) The impact was just out of range to be visible from the launch site. This photo, while still contained within the digital camera, was what Stratofox used to determine where to stop on the highway and start searching on foot. Unfortunately, it was farther behind the first row of hills than we could tell with this photo. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)

Back: Monday morning Up: Paragon Dragoon II Launch Next: Search and recovery

Images of this event were posted with permission of Paragon Astronautics.

(1536x1024 827K) (500x333 12K)	The rehearsal was completed successfully. Now final close-outs are completed at the pad for the real launch. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1536x1024 956K) (500x333 25K)	Many more attendees are present this morning as the launch countdown proceeds. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1024x1536 904K) (500x750 33K)	The launch pad at T-10 seconds... (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1024x1536 798K) (500x750 27K)	Liftoff! (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1024x1536 574K) (500x750 12K)	The Dragoon II rocket climbs out. The breeze has already blown the plume away from the pad. All but the most experienced observers have not noticed anything wrong yet. But the damage has already been done at this point which will prevent it from reaching space. The nozzle failed and was scattered in pieces around the pad at liftoff. In this picture, the expansion pattern of the gas plume is too wide, indicating subsonic expansion. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1024x1536 555K) (500x750 12K)	The Dragoon II rocket accelerates out of the frame. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1024x1536 544K) (500x750 9K)	The Dragoon II rocket accelerates upward. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1024x1536 568K) (500x750 10K)	As this corkscrew pattern develops, everyone with rocketry experience recognizes this as a bad sign, that some bigger failure is imminent. At the point, the uncontained hot gas plume has probably damaged the fin canister, making the gas plume uneven. But many attendees are still not aware there's a problem yet. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1024x1536 540K) (500x750 10K)	This was the next sign that something was seriously wrong. It isn't possible to stop a solid rocket motor. So this gap in the gas plume indicates the motor may be "chugging", an intermittent failure to maintain enough internal pressure to generate thrust. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1536x1024 523K) (500x333 4K)	The intermittent gas plume and flight stability problems get worse as the rocket arcs over prematurely. Stratofox's downrange observers on Mormon Dan Peak and Black Rock Point estimated the rocket reached about 20,000 feet at this point. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1536x1024 516K) (500x333 3K)	The erratic thrust knocks the nose sharply downward, a move from which the rocket will not recover. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1536x1024 505K) (500x333 3K)	More erratic thrust and another change in direction. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1536x1024 520K) (500x333 3K)	The thrust is weakening to the point that it is no longer making significant sideways course changes as the rocket falls. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1536x1024 586K) (500x333 9K)	More intermittent gas plumes occur throughout the remainder of the fall. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1536x1024 579K) (500x333 13K)	More intermittent gas plumes occur throughout the remainder of the fall. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1024x1536 552K) (500x750 12K)	The dotted line marks the path of the rocket's descent as the motor continued its "chugging" to impact. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)
(1024x1536 791K) (500x750 29K)	The impact was just out of range to be visible from the launch site. This photo, while still contained within the digital camera, was what Stratofox used to determine where to stop on the highway and start searching on foot. Unfortunately, it was farther behind the first row of hills than we could tell with this photo. (photo by Ian Kluft KO6YQ)