Members of the 2015 Pinon Rocket Club at Piñon Elementary School. The Rocketeers did not let Friday’s early morning chill keep them from launching their rockets. Photo by Carol Hermes

NASA Astronaut Mike Mullane fields questions from students during a lull in rocket launch activities Friday morning as Pinon Principal Jill Gonzales and Rocket Club Sponsor Scot Carmody look on at right. Photo by Carol Hermes

STAFF REPORT

Piñon Elementary School’s annual rocket launch day went off without a hitch Friday morning in White Rock.

Thirty sixth graders have been working hard to create their model rockets since late November and were ready to fire them off! The entire school gathered in the back area of the school and counted down for the sixth graders as they launched their rockets, and attempted to catch them before they touched the ground.

Adding to the excitement was the participation of former NASA Astronaut Mike Mullane who is the father of one of the Rocketeers. 

Friday’s launch was particularly special to the club sponsors, Scot Carmody and Carol Hermes because both are retiring at the end of the year.

“My own special rocket ‘The Herminator’, which is a tiny mosquito model rocket, had its final flight at the end of the launch,” Hermes said.

Piñon Rocketeer Isaac’s ‘Eggs-Caliber’ rocket in which he launched a raw egg in the nose of it … unfortunately it had a bit of a rough landing. Photo by Carol Hermes

Students rush over to witness the results of the Eggs-Caliber’s landing Friday morning at Piñon School. Photo by Carol Hermes

Piñon Rocketeer Eloise Schappert shows off her rocket, which won ‘Best Paint Job’. Photo by Carol Hermes