NAR Section #473
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Next Launch: August 16th
Launch Time: 10 AM- 4PM
Waiver Limit: 4000' AGL
Launch Status:GO
Last Updated 23 July 2026
Pittsburgh Space Command is a sanctioned section of the National Association of Rocketry (NAR). Since its inception in 1986 the club has brought rocketeers together from all over Western Pennsylvania to enjoy sport, high power and contest rocketry. During that time our club has safely launched over 22,000 rockets of all sizes and shapes.
Our launch site, located east of Grove City, PA is easy to access and with over 800 acres, is an excellent site for all types of rocket flights.
The club's launch equipment can support most types of flights, from 1/4A to K (and L and M with advanced notice), so we've got you covered.
Whether you are new to rocketry, or are an experienced rocketeer looking to join in the fun with our club, please feel free to come to one of our monthly launches and see what we are all about.
Announcements/Updates
For the 2026 Launch Season, any announcements and/or updates effecting club launches will appear in this space. The weather has been less predictable this year and as a result launches have had to be cancelled or rescheduled. Please check back to get the latest on launch status before heading out to the site. If there are no announcements/changes, the good news is the launch is on as planned. The announcements are directly from our Club President - John Pace or are approved by him for distribution, I post them as soon as I can.
Special Announcement: Cub Scout Camp at Cecil Park on August 5 - Volunteers Needed
Hello everyone:
We were asked to participate in a cub scout event that is themed "the sky's the limit". This event will be in the evening. They are shooting for August 5th from 4:30-8 pm. They will have three different 30 minute sessions. It would be great to do a launch at each session, but we will not be able to do this without volunteers. Please consider helping with this event, it will be a fun event! I will be attending right after work. Please send me an email if you are able to attend along with the hours you would be willing to commit to this event.
Thank you for considering this opportunity to introduce cub scouts to our hobby and a possible career in aerospace.
Special Announcement for August's Launch
Our next launch on August 16th is our annual potluck picnic. Please bring a dish to share with the group. We will have a table and tent to put all of the food under. Just to give everyone a few ideas, so far we have some people bringing chicken, ramen noodle salad, utensils and plates. We will be shutting down the launch for an hour for lunch. Below is a list of the events that will happen during the lunch break:
Not the Paint Scheme Event - Please bring your rockets painted not like the picture to enter into the competition. We will have an adult and youth section. We will announce the winner at lunch.
We will announce the winner of the 40th anniversary patch competition
Announce the winner of the 50/50 raffle we are having
Rocket Raffle - Please bring rockets or rocket related items you would like to raffle off. We will display the items you bring and pull raffle tickets at lunch.
I am hoping to have the apparel that everyone ordered at this launch to hand out
Please let me know if you have any questions about the picnic or any of our events. I am so excited for the picnic! See you all there!
Thank you!
Mia Vento
Events for CMMF XIV Determined
The event staff has determined the event set for our upcoming NAR competition in October. Please check the Contests Page for details. In addtion to the even set , we'd also like to announce that Club member Sean Guzek is stepping up to be the CMMF XIV Contest Director. We're excited to see this, and we appreciate Sean's leadership of CMMF XIV.
New In the Field - July '26
We are adding a new article series to our Club Site. Starting this month, Duane is launching a new series of articles about rocketry tricks and tips he's learned over the years, in hopes of helping make your rocketry experience more enjoyable. This month's article is a guide to about how to find your rocket in tall grass, or everybody's favorite, the corn. If you have a cell phone and a compass app, you're set to go, no expensive gear required. Please take a look.
New From the Workbench - June '26
This month, John Brohm continues his series on the finer points of crafting fins. In this month's article, John is focusing on the sustainer fins of the Nike- Apache sounding rocket. John guides us through crafting Apache fin leading-edge extensions . Like his other articles this is a detailed , illustrated, explanation of how to go from scale data to designing and building a somewhat challenging set of fins. As with all of John's articles, there are plenty of tips that will help you up your scale model "game". No matter what your current skill level, I'm sure you'll take away something new from this article. Please take look.
New Club Launch Pads
In response to the growing number of Mid-power flights/and flyers, the Club has purchased two new launch pads . In order to encourage the use of rail buttons, the pads accommodate 10/10 rail as well as standard 1/4" rod. They are heavy enough to serve double duty on the HPR bank as well for the smaller HPR airframes ( No 1515 rails or heavier, sorry). It is our hope that this will cut down on wait times for Mid-Power flyers and ARC teams.
Streamlined Wilson F/X Operator's Instructions
John Brohm has taken the time to review the Wilson F/X user's guide and he has rewritten it in to a less confusing, more streamlined, user friendly, operator's guide. If you'd like to be the club member who pushes the launch button (LCO) at the club launches, please take a minute and read this document. It is well written and takes the mystery out of what may look like a confusing collection of switches, lights and buttons. Click Here to read the new user's guide. You may also find the PDF in the Member's Documents Section on the website.
Range Guide Now Online - Please Read BEFORE Launching with the Club
A comprehensive guide to how the range runs along with a guide to model types and how to use the launch equipment has now been posted to the Club Website. If you're new to the club, have always wondered what all those rocketry terms mean, or want to be up-to-date on how we handle low, mid and high power rocketry at the field, please take some time to review it. Don't worry, you won't be tested on this information. It is there to help you better understand what's going on at the field and , hopefully, help you feel more at home when launching with our Club. Thanks!
Photos 2026(And where you can find Previous Galleries)
To see each month's photos, just click on the image with the month and photographer's name. That way you'll have direct access to all the photos they've taken instead of the ones I've chosen each month. The previous years' galleries can be found using the sidebar menu under Club Information -> Galleries. A few clicks and you're there. If you'd like to contribute please send Duane an email and we'll take it from there. Thanks!
March 2026
April 2026
May 2026
June 13th 2026
June 13th 2026
June 14th 2026
